522 





aass_I A5 2.2J 



STATE OF MICHIGAN 



REPORT OF 



SURVEY OF ST. CLAIR FLATS 



BY THE 



COMMISSIONER OF STATE LAND OFFICE 



UNDER AUTHORITY OF 



ACT NO. 175, p. A. 1899 




LANSING, MICH. 
ROBERT SMITH PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS 

1903 



JUN 37 1928 



2^.9^?/ 



V 






^ 

? 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page 

Bbpobt ov CHisr Engineer 5 

Report of Resident Engineer 12 

Report op Special Representative 7I 



ILI.USTRATIONS. 



•* Head Piece Page 5 

Si Transit Trestle Facing page 5 

,,_ Transit Scow and Trestle " " 9 

Transit Scow and Trestle " " 17 

V Transit Scow and Trestle— Plumbing up from a Pipe " " 26 

Measuring Scow " '• 33 

Measuring " " 41 

, Locating a Pipe " " 49 

Measuring Scow— Driving Pipe " " 57 

Measuring Scow— Driving Pipe " " 65 

> Measuring Scow— Driving and Plumbing Pipe " " 73 

End Piece '* 76 




TRANSIT TRESTLE. 



REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER. 



St. Clair Flats, Oct. 15, 1902. 
Hon. Edwin A. Wildey, Commissioner of the State Land 
Office: 

Sir-_I beg leave to present this my final report of the survey 
of the St. Clair Flats. 

I was commissioned by your predecessor, Hon. William A. 
French, to undertake the St. Clair Flats Survey under the act 
of June 23d, 1899, entitled "An Act to provide for the Sale, 
Disposition and Control of the unpatented Swamp and Over- 
flowed Lands in the Township of Clay, St. Clair County, 
Michigan." My commission is dated July 26th, 1899. 

I began preparations for this work within four days after 
receiving my commission. Information was gathered and the 
Flats visited. I soon found that everything required for this 
survey would have to be taken there from elsewhere,— even to 
stake timber and kindling wood. The exceptional character- 
istics of the Flats, the nature of the claims there, and the 
requirements of the statute, made necessary a survey of an 
unusual kind. Shelter and subsistence had to be provided, 
and office accommodations, as well. Quarter boats were used 
which are described in the report of the Resident Engineer. 
Instruments had to be set up, and measurements made, as 
frequently as in laying out lots for a subdivision in a city. 



6 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

The work was to be carried on over lands that were farm 
lands at the upper end of the Flats, and that were six feet 
under water at the Lake St. Clair front, with every stage of 
wetness between. The hundreds of lots were to be spread over 
forty or fifty miles of frontage on widely separated channels. 
The lots were to be of any shape. There were miles and miles 
of water not over two feet deep. There were square miles of 
marsh vegetation through which unnumbered lines must be 
run. There were winds of great severity. Special tools and 
equipment had to be devised and made to meet the require- 
ments of the case. These are poorly illustrated in the pictures 
herewith, and are described in the report of the Resident 
Engineer. His report also covers the details of the field and 
office work, the organizations of the staff, and the data 
relating to the extent of this survey. 

It was necessary from the very first to endeavor to under- 
stand, interpret, and apply the terms and provisions of the 
statute, in such a manner that our labors and our views would 
be sustained by the courts. Aided by legal advice an effort 
has been made to do this. 

The statute requires the State Land Office to gather a large 
amount of information about claims and claimants. As this 
information was necessary for carrying on our work, we under- 
took the collection of it. It amounted to hearing and record- 
ing the story of every claimant. I considered this so 
important as to regard it as the key of the whole situation. 
Events have proved the correctness of this estimate. I pre- 
sume nothing we have done has facilitated our work in so 
many ways as our endeavors to find out what the various 
claimants had to say. All this information has been pre- 
served in the Claim Books and Files which constitute a part 
of our returns. 

No attempt has been made to carry out a preconceived plan, 
or system, of laying out lots; but the survey has been made 
to conform to the limits of the claims on the ground, and to 
the channels, shore lines, and features found there. It is 
thought this serves the purposes of the act best, as a claim 
is almost always represented by a single lot number and is 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 7 

comprised within that lot. With an arbitrary system, or lot 
plan, the individual claims would have covered all sorts of 
fractions of such lots, with pieces and fragments, of all kinds, 
extremely difficult to describe at all, or to mark on the ground, 
and would have made even a single reference to any claim a 
very complicated affair. It may be said with confidence that 
any arbitrary lot plan would have made a second survey neces- 
sary under conditions far more complicated than were those 
we worked under. 

While not all of the principles followed were clearly per- 
ceived and recorded at the start, the following embraces those 
we were led to use by our experience on the Flats. Sometimes 
these are stated in the words of the law, but often otherwise. 

1. Lots to conform to claims. 

2. But one tract in one claim. — A tract may include more 

than one lot, or parcel, if contiguous, the whole together 
forming but one tract. 

3. Lay out for each claimant what is claimed and occupied, 

except it be to conform lines to the general outline, or 
for some similar reason where some slight increase or 
decrease may be required. 

4. Distinction betw^een claimed and unclaimed lands. Lots 

laid out differently in the two cases. 

5. Sizes of Lots. — Unclaimed land laid out in ''Convenient 

lots or parcels fronting upon said channels, and extend- 
ing backwards therefrom, and at right angles thereto, 
a distance of not more than five hundred feet: Pro- 
vided, however. That no lot shall extend to a greater 
depth than midway to a parallel channel." No frontage 
stated. 

Claimed Lands. — Frontage generally to be not over 200 
feet. Frontage for clubs may be twenty-five feet per 
member on the rolls of the club on the first day of 
January, 1899. Club claims laid out accordingly. 

Commissioner of State Land Office may grant more than 
200 feet, in certain cases. Therefore, lots were laid out 

2 



STATE LAND OFFICE. 

to conform to claims. If not allowed and confirmed to 
claimant, can be subdivided afterwards. 
No depth to claims stated in the law. We limited claims 
to a depth of five hundred feet for uniformity with the 
rest of the law, to set bounds to the demands of claim- 
ants, and to adopt on the start a rule to be applied to 
all alike. 

6. Situation of Lots. — "All of said lands fronting upon the 

open lake or any of the navigable channels within or 
bordering upon said lands." 

Any navigable channels were taken to include artificial as 
well as natural channels. 

A navigable channel was taken to be one that would 
sustain the navigation customary in that locality, — 
that is one that could be traversed by a duck boat. 

The lots are situated on and along these channels; on 
the open lake; and on the boundaries of the reserva- 
tions for park named in the act. 

7. Highways. — These were reserved at convenient points as 

designated in the statute. On long stretches of shore 
they were placed about a thousand feet apart, and 
every two lots on the lake front. Four rods was 
adopted as a standard width, though not always used. 
The plats show the actual widths. 
"All existing channels and cuts used for passage, whether 
natural or artificial, extending from either the South 
Channel, North Channel, Middle Channel, or Snibora 
Channel to the waters or lands in the rear thereof, are 
declared to be public highways," and were so treated by 
being omitted from lots and having lots fronted on 
them. Highways were laid out across claims. 

8. Improvements. — Information regarding the improve- 

ments made on claims was gathered and included in the 
returns. The statute repeatedly refers to the matter 
of improvements, designating embankments, ditching, 
dredging, residence, sheet piling, and fencing. In 
gathering this information an ejffort was made to cover 




m 

O 
O 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 9 

these items. Other improvements were also found and 
noted. Such are cultivation, breaking up new land, 
grading, forming into beds for cultivation, and setting 
out trees and shrubs. 

9. Frontage. — The frontage being the basis of valuation set 
by the statute upon the lands fronting on the South, 
North, Middle, and Snibora Channels, I made up these 
frontages from the detailed sheets myself, independ- 
ently, and without knowledge of the statements by 
claimants, or of any other persons, except in one or 
two instances where a special report seemed called for, 
in which cases I repeatedly visited the places and con- 
sidered the cases as fully as I was able to do. 

10. Back Claims. — There are many improved claims more 

than 500 feet back from the South Channel. Generally 
these are occupied b}' permanent residents. Such 
claims were surveyed and marked according to the same 
general plan followed elsewhere. The same plan was 
carried out with respect to other lands similarly situ- 
ated, except those lands occupied as farms southwest 
of the Private Claims on Harsen's Island. The fence 
boundaries of these were surveyed and mapped. 

11. Permanent Monuments. — The statute provides that per- 

manent monuments be erected at the corners of each of 
the various and respective lots. Iron pipe was adopted 
for this purpose, and the lot numbers marked on some 
two-thirds of these pipes, as appears by the report of 
the Resident Engineer, and on the detail sheets. The 
statute calls for numbers to be inscribed on at least one 
corner of each lot. 

Many matters of detail had to be decided upon. Amongst 
the more important is the system of numbering lots. The 
entire work was divided into sections which were named, as 
the South Channel Section, Muscamoot Section, etc. Within 
these sections the lot numbers are continuous and the same 
number occurs but once in each section, or division, of the 



10 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

work. The maps show clearly the division of the sections and 
the numbering. 

The highways are named and not numbered. They are not 
included in the lots, but set off separately. 

The maps are made to show what was land and what wa» 
water at the time the survey for any sheet was made. 

A title was used that identifies each sheet of maps as a part 
of the St. Clair Flats Survey. 

In the vicinity of Quibel Bay, Middle Channel, was found a 
considerable area of unsurveyed and unpatented swamp and 
overflowed lands. Another piece of like character lies between 
RusselFs and Harsen's Islands. By direction of the Land 
Commissioner, lots were not laid out on these two pieces^ 
although they were surveyed and mapped and the plans for 
lots completed. With this exception, all of the unpatented 
swamp and overflowed lands within the delta of the St. Clair 
river, in the township of Clay, in the county of St. Clair, were 
surveyed and laid off into lots. 

During the progress of this survey we were continually met, 
from many sources, with numerous questions, objections, and 
discussions, relating to the ownership of the Flats. It was 
no part of our duty, under the statute, to entertain these 
matters. The position taken by us was that such questions 
belonged to the courts, not to us; that the statute says noth- 
ing about ownership; and that we were directed, by the 
statute, through the Commissioner of the State Land Office, to 
survey the Flats, whoever might own them. 

The details of this survey are set forth in the report of the 
Resident Engineer, Mr. Fred Morley. No one can read this 
report through carefully without being impressed with the 
extent of this work; the burdensome and complicated details 
connected therewith; and the ability, industry, judgment and 
foresight of the Resident Engineer, in planning it, carrying 
it on, and completing it in such a creditable manner. His is 
a case of that genius which is defined as hard work, united 
with extraordinary gifts and most extensive and varied experi- 
ence. I make these statements onlv as an item of justice,. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 11 

because to him should be given the principal credit for the 
results attained. 

We were shown every courtesy and given every aid by the 
U. S. Engineer Office of Detroit, by direction of Colonel G. J. 
Lydecker, the officer in charge when this survey began. These 
very agreeable and, to us, useful relations continued after 
Colonel Lydecker was relieved by Major W. H. Bixby. The 
same cordial relations existed with the U. S. Lake Survey, 
under the direction of Major W. L. Fisk. We were furnished 
with information, maps, blue prints, and whatever could be 
offered us to aid us in our work. It is a gratification to 
acknowledge these many kindnesses. 

In closing this report, it is a pleasure to testify to the uni- 
form promptness and courtesy with which our wants were 
supplied by the official representative of the Land Office who 
was present on the work, Mr. A. C. Carton. The weather was 
never too bad, the distance too far, or the difficulties too 
great for him and his men to undertake our commissions. I 
regret that I am unable to transmit with this a report from 
him similar to that furnished by the Resident Engineer, as 
I am sure it would have been of great usefulness to anyone 
concerned in supplying and subsisting a party of men under 
similar circumstances. 

I take leave of this work and my associates connected there- 
with with regret. 

Very respectfully, 

J. B. DAVIS, 
Chief Engineer St. Clair Flats Survey. 



REPORT OF RESIDENT ENGINEER. 



Lansing, Mich., Oct. 4, 1902. 

Prof. J. B. Davis, Chief Engineer St. Clair Flats Survey, Ann 
Arbor, Mich. : 

Dear Sir — I have the honor to submit to you the following 
report of the survey of the St. Clair Flats for transmission 
to the Commissioner of the State Land Office. 

In accordance with your instructions, I proceeded to Grand 
Point Club House on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1899, and on the fol- 
lowing day accompanied yourself. State Land Commissioner 
Wm. A. French, State Treasurer Geo. A. Steel, Mr. A. R» 
Avery, and J. I. Berry, in a preliminary examination of that 
part of the St. Clair Flats authorized to be surveyed by Att 
No. 175 of the Public Acts of the Legislature of 1899 — return- 
ing home the next day. 

On Friday, Sept. 8th, prepared to remain permanently at 
the Flats, I returned thither to proceed with the survey, and 
awaited, at the Star Island House, the arrival of the quarter 
boat ''Michigan," from Bay City, where it had been fitted out. 
When this came down the river on Saturday evening, in tow 
of a tug, I went aboard, and the quarter boat was put into 
the slip just below the Arthur House on the South ChanneL 
A cook and one man occupying the quarter boat on its way 
down experienced a rather stormy voyage on Lake Huron. 

On the following Monday, Sept. 11, a complete inventory 
was made of everything aboard or about the Michigan, putting 
the same in order. At evening three transitmen and one 
helper arrived from Ann Arbor. Land Commissioner Wm. A. 
French also arrived with the Scotten house-boat, "Alice 
May," and tied it up on the bar below the Old Club cottages. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 13 

He brought with him one cook and five other men. The next 
day this house-boat was placed in the cut next below the slip in 
which the Michigan was lying. Another man was added to 
the party. You also arrived at evening and remained till 
the following Saturday morning. 

The days immediately following the arrival of these boats 
were busily spent in preparation for beginning the survey. 
Materials, already ordered, were being received and other 
orders sent out. Transits, measuring tapes, transit rods, 
plumb-bobs, flag-poles, etc., were received and put in readi- 
ness. Pipe, to mark the lot corners, must be had. A pipe 
vice, pipe bench, pipe cutter, pipe wrench and pipe tongs must 
be provided with which to prepare lengths of pipe for their 
intended use. Mauls were needed with which to drive them, 
and when in water, as so many of them would be, a different 
tool must be devised for continuing the driving to near the 
bed of the stream or bay. Scythes, axes and corn-knives w^ere 
sharpened and otherwise made ready. 

Besides these more simple preparations, measuring scows 
must be built for making measurements over water, or from 
which the men could place and drive pipe corners in water 
beyond the depth of a hip rubber boot. Then there must be 
provided transit trestles and transit scows, both of which 
would frequently be needed in setting up the transit over 
water and supporting the transitman while using it in this 
position. 

While these preliminary operations were still in progress the 
field work of the survey was begun on Friday, Sept. 15, 1899, 
at the lower end of the South Channel by locating a triangle, 
the vertex of which was in the line of joining the lower with 
the upper light of the St. Clair Flats Canal, and near the 
latter and the base on the submerged bar to the westward of 
the Old Club cottages. This base was measured several times 
in the water and subsequently on the ice. By it and the meas- 
ured angles of the triangle or the observed azimuths of its 
sides the survey was connected with the fixed line between 
the canal lights by distance as well as by azimuth. The line 
of this measured base was produced northeasterly to near 



14 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

the South Channel shore line, and formed, with its prolonga- 
tion, the first element of the ^'Traverse Line" referred to later. 

From this beginning, the work of surveying out and mark- 
ing the corners of the various lots or parcels claimed pro- 
ceeded up the right bank of the South Channel to the Private 
Claims on Harsen Island. 

The line joining the lower with the upper light of the St. 
Clair Flats Ship Canal, whose azimuth, as furnished by Lieut. 
Col. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., is 221° 06' 
51", is the initial azimuth line of the survey from which azi- 
muth was extended to all parts of the area under survey, by a 
system of carefully observed and repeatedly checked azimuth 
readings of lines which cover the area with a net-work of tri- 
angles, quadrilaterals, and closed polygons; the direction of 
every line of which was observed from each end and found to 
agree within the limits of the instrument. 

The Michigan and Alice May furnished quarters for the 
party, to which additions were made as the work advanced, 
and shelter for tools, equipment and provisions, until Nov. 
25, when a third quarter boat was added to the outfit. This 
third quarter boat was also fitted out at Bay City, but on its 
way down the cabin and everything on board, including stoves, 
kitchen equipment, bedding, etc., was swept away on Lake 
Huron, owing to the lateness of the season and the conse- 
quent rough seas encountered. The hull, however, was towed 
to Port Huron, where it was beached and, after being refitted 
with cabin and furnishings, was brought down the river to 
us by a small steam launch purchased at Port Huron by the 
Land Commissioner. 

This launch was purchased for use on the survey, but not 
being suited to the requirements of the work, drawing as it 
did three feet or more of water, besides being uneconomical in 
that it required a licensed engineer-pilot to run it, no use was 
made of it, and it was disposed of at the close of the survey 
with the rest of the outfit. 

What was needed was a launch that could navigate in as 
little as 18 inches of water so as to cross the shallow bays, 
pass through the various side channels — always shallow at 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 15 

their outlets — or run close enough in to shore to enable one 
in rubber boots to easily wade ashore, and that could con- 
veniently carry 10 or 12 men or tow scows and skiffs any- 
where they were needed, and that, whether in use or out of 
use, required the employment of no skilled or licensed opera- 
tor. The gasoline launch best met these requirements, and one 
was used between July, 1900, and October, 1901, whenever 
needed, at a cost for rent of only |326.25. And this includes 
the entire cost of such conveyance on the work, excepting an 
occasional day's use of a launch prior or subsequent to the 
period above named, the additional expense of which does not 
probably amount to more than |50.00. 

The hulls of the quarter boats, known as the Michigan and 
"third quarter boat," were formerly Saginaw river lumber 
scows. On each of these hulls a cabin was built, divided into 
four rooms by three cross partitions. The cabins were formed 
of a light frame work covered on top, sides and ends with 
matched ceiling stuff and painted outside and inside a light 
blue. The doors and windows were all provided with screens 
to protect the occupants from mosquitoes and June flies. The 
roofs, in addition to being ceiled, were covered with canvas 
and painted. An additional coat of paint was applied to the 
roofs as needed from time to time to prevent their leaking. 

The hull of the Michigan was 67 ft. long by 161/2 ft. wide. 
The cabin was of the same width, but only 53 ft. long, leaving 
a deck of 7 ft. at each end. It was divided into an office room 
13% ft. wide provided with two bunks with four drawers 
beneath each; a kitchen later reduced to 12 ft. in width, with 
sink, pump, shelves, tables, a bunk with six drawers beneath, 
etc.; a dining-room later increased to 13 ft. wide; and a men's 
quarters 14% ft. wide, provided with eight bunks — two in 
each corner, one above the other. The office and men's quar- 
ters were the end rooms. 

The hull of the third quarter boat was 6I14 ft. long and 
14 ft. wide, the cabin being of the same width, but only 48% 
ft. long, leaving a deck of 6% ft. at one end and 6 ft. at the 
other. The four rooms were practically equal in size. The 
room in the forward end was fitted up as a drawing room. 
3 



16 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

It was provided with six windows. In one corner were two 
bunks, one above the other, with four commodious drawers 
underneath the lower one. 

The next room was used, while the field work was in prog- 
ress, as quarters for the men, being fitted with bunks, but 
afterv\^ard was made a part of the drawing room by removing 
the partition and bunks and making other minor changes. 

The third room was used as a general store room for provi- 
sions and tools. The fourth, or room at the rear end of the 
boat, occupied by the commissary, was furnished as a kitchen, 
but w^as never used for that purpose, all the cooking and eat- 
ing, after the first few months, being done in the kitchen and 
dining-rooms of the Michigan. This change w^as brought about 
at the beginning of the year, and was in every way a better 
arrangement. It was made possible by moving the partition 
between kitchen and dining-room, enlarging the latter. 

The Alice May was a first-class house-boat, and was rented 
by the state for the use of the survey. Its hull was 711/2 ft. 
long and 19% ft. wide. The cabin was of the same width, but 
15 ft. shorter, leaving 7 ft. of deck at one end and 8 ft. at the 
other. The interior was divided into a parlor across one end 
of the cabin, while at the other were the dining-room, kitchen, 
pantry and ice-box — the dining-room occupying about two feet 
more than half the width of the cabin. The parlor and dining- 
rooms were connected by a hallway centrally through the boat. 
On one side of this hall were three state rooms and a com- 
bined bathroom and closet, and on the other side three state 
rooms and a clothes closet connecting with the hall and a 
servants' closet connecting with the kitchen. The plumbing 
was such that from a cold water tank on the roof and a hot 
water heater connected with the kitchen range, both cold and 
hot water could be supplied to state room?, wash basins, bath- 
tub, etc. Upon the approach of cold weather the use of these 
modern conveniences was discontinued, the pipes drained, 
tanks emptied, hot water heater disconnected from range, and 
later on, cooking in this boat done away with. Thereafter 
the bath-room w^as converted into a bedroom, the dining-room 
into an office and drawing room by day and a sitting and read- 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 17 

ing room for the men at night; the pantry into a wash room, 
and the kitchen into a bath room and dry room for rubber 
boots and clothes. 

With the beginning of the new year I changed my quarters 
and office from the Michigan to the parlor of the Alice May, 
and the transitmen then occupied the office in the Michigan, 
thus moving them from the regular men's quarters and pro- 
viding them with the much needed place in which to perform 
the necessarj^ evening work required of them. These changes 
remained permanent as long as the field work lasted. The use 
of the Alice May was discontinued after Sept. 28, 1901 — it 
thus having been in commission on the survey two years and 
eighteen days. 

The measuring scows were catamaran in style, each being 
composed of two scow boats 3 ft. wide and 12 ft. long, placed 
side by side and united by a decking of 1% inch plank. These 
planks were 12 inches wide and 9 ft. long. Four of them were 
placed transversely across the two boats at either end and 
spiked to their sides, thus holding the pair of scow boats 
parallel to each other and 3 ft. apart. The remaining middle 
four feet in length of each scow boat was decked over by four 
pieces of the same planking cut 3 ft. long, the two middle 
pieces of which were joined together by cleats on their under 
side and were not spiked down, though made to fit snugly. 
By removing these, access was had to the interior of each 
scow boat for bailing them out when necessary. Thus the 
deck of a measuring scow was 12 ft. long by 9 ft. wide, with 
an opening in the middle 4 ft. long and 3 ft. wide. Near each 
corner of the deck was placed an 8 inch galvanized iron cleat, 
to each of which was secured by about 32 ft. of %-inch rope 
a 15 pound anchor. On top of the decking were nailed along 
its edge each way from the corners strips of wood about 3 ft. 
long and 2 inches high to serve as a protection against slipping 
off the scow when operating the anchor ropes in freezing 
weather. 

Six of these measuring scows were built and, as their 
name implies, were chiefly used in making measurements over 
water generally in connection with setting lot corners in 



18 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

water through, their central well hole, their decks forming a 
convenient place for pipe and the various tools in use, and 
for the men to work upon. In actual service on the work they 
were most conveniently moved forward, when the depth of 
the water and the hardness of the bottom permitted, by the 
use of wooden pike poles from 12 to 14 ft. long operated 
at the sides, stern, or through the well hole by the men, who 
acquired great skill and dexterity not only in thus propelling 
them, but in steering them as well. Otherwise they might 
be propelled by a large sculling oar at their stern, or towed 
by men rowing in a skiff connected to them by a rope. 

When it was necessary to move them, or the transit scows, 
any considerable distance, as from the quarter boats to a 
place of operation, or back, they were generally towed by the 
gasoline launch. I recall one or two instances, however, 
where advantage was taken of a favorable wind to so move 
them by a sail temporarily hoisted on them. 

On reaching the place at which it was desired to bring a 
measuring scow to anchor, one or more pike poles were thrust 
to the bottom of the lake through the well hole and made to 
bear against the sides or corners of the well hole by a man 
or two grasping their upper ends. Meanwhile the anchors 
at the corners are cast as far as possible and the ropes 
attached to them drawn in and made fast to the corner cleats. 
By then slacking off on one or more of these ropes and draw- 
ing in on correspondingly opposite ones, the scow was quickly 
secured in the desired position. The well hole being 3 by 4 ft. 
it was only necessary to bring the scow to within a limit of 
1% to 2 ft. of the exact position of the pipe to be driven. 
These anchors, while permitting, in connection with the rise 
and fall of the water, due to passing waves, considerable move- 
ment of the scows, held them in place sufficiently to resist the 
pull of the tape in measuring or to obviate movements incon- 
venient to the men working upon them, either in the driving 
of pipe with a maul or otherwise. In setting pipe at given 
distances apart by means of these scows, two were evidently 
needed, and in continuous measurement three might some- 
times be used to advantage. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 19 

Pipes driven from these scows were left with their tops sev- 
eral inches above the water surface to be subsequently driven 
to near the bed of the lake, bay or stream by the pipe driving 
party. The buoyancy of a scow was such that even with its 
load of tools and men the underside of the decking plank was 
from 6 to 10 inches above the water. This being the case, and 
the component scow boats being 3 ft. apart, it will readily be 
seen that no difficulty need be experienced, as was the fact, in 
withdrawing a scoy\' endwise from around a pipe left as 
above stated projecting above the water surface. By paying 
out,, for example, the rear anchor ropes while the forward ones 
were being drawn in, accompanied by a judicious guiding of 
the scow by a pike pole, the scow was moved forward the dis- 
tance necessary to bring it clear of the pipe. This being done, 
the anchors were easily raised in turn by pulling the scow by 
one of the anchor ropes, at the same time slacking away on 
the others until nearly over that anchor which then lost its 
hold on the bottom and was drawn up on deck. The anchors 
being thus gathered in one by one, unless yielding to an 
inclined pull, the scow was moved forward to the next posi- 
tion by the pike poles as previousl}^ explained. 

The pipe driving party, usually consisting of only two men, 
used one of these measuring scows. With their pike poles 
they were able to approach a pipe standing with its top as 
much as 6 to 8 inches above the water surface and bring it 
within the well hole of the scow without touching the pipe. 
The while one of them held the scow in this position by the 
use of two pike poles operated through the well hole, the other 
threw out the anchors and made fast the anchor ropes to the 
cleats when all was ready for the driving. 

The sides of the scow boats composing the measuring and 
transit scows were made of thoroughly seasoned white pine 
planking dressed to 1% inches by 12 inches by 12 ft. The 
ends of these were given a bevel of 24 inches horizontal to 8 
inches rise, thus leaving 8 ft. of horizontal bottom and 4 inches 
of vertical end. To form the bottom, including the beveled 
ends, clear, kiln dried, white pine lumber, dressed on both 
sides % inches thick, from 6 to 8 inches wide, cut to 3 ft. 



20 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

lengths, were used. The ends were made of 2 by 4 inch stuff 
cut to a suitable length to go between the sides. 

The bottom boards were carefully nailed to the edges of the 
plank sides. A rib of dressed 2 by 4 inch stuff extended the 
whole length of the bottom, including the beveled ends, to 
which the bottom boards were also nailed. No calking was 
employed in any of the joints. Two methods were used in 
making these joints. In one the edges of each bottom board 
were planed to straight surfaces or jointed but with a slight 
bevel. They were then placed so that the edges just touched, 
leaving a V-shaped crack between them, opening outward, 
and were then nailed in this position. The nails, were set in 
two rows and staggered. When placed in the water these 
joints swelled shut and made a water-tight joint. 

In the second method, the edges of the bottom boards were 
planed to straight surfaces as before but not beveled. A 
depression was then made centrally along the entire length 
of the edge by pounding on a short length of round rod aj)plied 
longitudinally to the edge. The portion of the edge on either 
side of the depression thus made was now planed off. Thus 
prepared, the bottom boards Avere placed side by side as 
before and nailed in position. The lower edges of the side 
planking were treated in the same manner. Thoroughly 
water-tight, self -calking joints were in this manner secured. 

During the two ^ears in which these scows were in use 
they gave no trouble from leakage. Of course, they occasion- 
ally required bailing out, mainly of water that had entered 
through cracks in the top decking, from the rain or waves. 

Each winter when ice began to form all scows and skiffs 
were hauled out, to be returned to the water at the opening of 
spring. The measuring scows were turned over and placed 
one above the other to the number of three in a tier. This 
could not be done with the transit scows, as will be seen 
from their construction, but care was taken to remove the 
water from them. 

It was frequently necessary to set up a transit over water 
and make observations from it. This required a stable and 
at the same time an adjustable support for the transit, and 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 21 

secondly a platform surrounding, but separate from, the tran- 
sit support on wliieh the transitman could stand and have con- 
venient and even comfortable access to his instrument from 
all sides. The latter requirement was met by what was called 
a transit scow. Two of these scows were built. They re- 
sembled in construction the measuring scows, but were larger, 
being composed of two scow boats each 4 ft. wide and 12 ft. 
long, placed 4 ft. apart, thus providing a platform 12 ft. 
square in which was left a central well hole 4 ft. square, 
through which the transit support, described below, was 
lowered into position. 

Anchors at the corners, such as were used on the measuring 
scows, would be wholly inadequate to give that stability and 
steadiness required in a support of the nature intended. 
These scows were, therefore, supplied with spuds at the cor- 
ners — anchors not being used. An oak post 4 inches square 
by 3 ft. long was placed at each corner of the decking with its 
outer faces flush with the side and end of the scow. The lower 
end of a post was secured to the scow by an iron strap 14 iiich 
thick, 1% inches wide and 4 ft. long, countersunk into and 
nailed to the front face of the post and passing down under 
the scow outside of the bottom boards through which it was 
secured to the side plank by nails. The top of a post was 
held by two wooden braces in planes at right angles to each 
other — one running to the middle of the side of the scow and 
the other to the inner end of a scow-boat, the latter brace being 
countersunk into the post. The spuds were straight seasoned 
oak timbers 4 inches square and 12 ft. long, surfaced on all 
sides. In position they were in front of the short corner posts 
which served as guides to them, and to which they were held 
by two square cornered U loops of iron I/4 iiich thick by 1% 
inches wide, which embraced the spuds and Avere screwed to 
the posts, one at the top and one at the bottom, the latter 
being also secured to the decking. The spuds were thus held 
perpendicular to the deck without being restricted from move- 
ment in the same direction. When not in use, each spud was 
supported on an iron pin thrust through a hole of corrspond- 
ing size in the spud near its lower end and resting on the 



22 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

lower iron strap. The withdrawal of this pin permitted the 
spud to descend into the water of its own weight. 

A 1 inch rope, about 22 ft. long, passing through a hole 
bored through a spud near its lower end in a direction per- 
pendicular to the sides of the scow, its two ends being brought 
up over the corner post braces and spliced or tied together, 
furnished a convenient means of raising a spud by simply 
pulling up on the two parts of this rope. 

For throwing the weight of the scow more or less on the 
spuds, as may be desired, in order to secure the requisite 
steadiness, after they have been let down to the bottom, each 
spud was provided with a tackle consisting of one single 
sheave 4 inch steel block with eye and hook, one double sheave 
4 inch steel block with hook only, and about 32 ft. of % inch 
rope. Immediately behind a corner post, i. e., opposite a 
spud, was placed a strap eye with a strap fastened to the 
inner face of the side plank of the scow and the eye projecting 
above the deck into which the single sheave block was hooked. 
In the top of a spud an opening was cut into which a rope 
loop, about 6 inches in diameter, was placed, and to which 
the double sheave block was hooked. The free end of the 
rope connecting these blocks could be made fast to a 6 inch 
galvanized cleat on the inner face of the corner post near its 
top. 

It will be seen that this arrangement quadrupled the force 
applied and it was possible by this means to so raise the 
scow as to throw a large part of its weight on the spuds. 
The great steadiness thus secured was further increased by 
inserting wedges between the spuds and the iron loops by 
which the spuds were held in sliding contact with the corner 
posts. These wedges were particularly useful when consider- 
able wave undulations disturbed the water surface. 

Two transit supports were provided — one for each transit 
scow. These were equilateral triangular iron trestles built 
up of ordinary iron pipe united by plain and tee screw coup- 
lings. A few other fittings were also made use of in their 
construction. 

Each. trestle consisted of three upright pieces or legs joined 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 23 

together near the bottom and near the top by a horizontal 
equilateral triangular frame, one side of which was a single 
piece of straight pipe; a second side was composed of two 
pieces of straight pipe — one short and one long — joined to- 
gether by a right and left hand plain screw coupling, while 
the third side had. a vertical reverse bend of about 3 inch 
rise near one end, these modifications being for the purpose 
of facilitating the putting together of the various parts of 
the trestle. The sides of these horizontal frames united the 
uprights, two and two, by being screwed into the horizontal 
branches of the tee couplings on the uprights. 

Each upright piece, or leg, consisted of the following parts, 
named in the order in which they occur in a complete trestle 
from the top downward : A pipe cap, a pipe nipple about 5 
inches long, two tee couplings united end to end by an in- 
terior short piece of threaded pipe, a 3 ft. length of straight 
pipe forming the leg proper, two more end to end tee coup- 
lings united like the upper two, a common floor plate, and a 
16 inch length of pipe pointed at the lower end by welding a 
piece of steel into the open end of the pipe. 

The floor plate was four inches in diameter, and was 
screwed down over the upper end of the pointed pipe before 
it w^as screwed into the lower tee coupling. These floor plates 
were for the purpose of preventing the trestle from sinking 
too far into the mud, silt, or sand, into which the points 
penetrated as the trestle was let down onto the lake bottom 
and forced to a solid bearing, usually by a person standing 
on the upper horizontal bars. 

The feet of the tripod of the instrument, when set up on 
the trestle, rested in cups embracing and capable of moving 
freely up or down on the iron legs of the trestle — one on each 
leg. A cup was made from a blank pipe reducer by boring a 
hole centrally through its circular disk large enough to per- 
mit its sliding freely on the trestle leg — the rim of the cap 
being set upward to form the cup. Near the upper edge of 
the rim two small holes were bored through it opposite each 
other, into which the ends of a cord, which passed up over a 
horizontal bar of the trestle, were tied, whereby the cup 

4 



24 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

could be drawn to the surface if, for any reason, it had slid 
down the leg out of reach. A thumb screw inserted radially 
into the disk part of the cap served to clamp it at any desired 
height on a trestle leg. These cups were of such a size as to 
leave somewhat more than an inch between their rims and 
the trestle leg. 

The trestle above described could be used in water up to 
3 to 3% ft. For greater depths, up to 5 or 6 ft., a second 
section, or bent of trestle, identical in construction with the 
first, as far down as to its lower pair of tee couplings, inclu- 
ding the cups, was placed above the first by screwing its three 
3 ft. uprights into the tops of the upper tee couplings of the 
first, after having removed from them the capped nipples. 
This change of length of trestle was quickly made. 

One of the two complete 6 ft. instrument trestles used was 
made of % inch pipe, which was found rather light, and the 
lower section of it was stiffened by wire diagonals placed in 
the side rectangles formed by the legs and horizontal bars. 
The w^idth of a side of this trestle, out to out, measured 46 
inches. The second complete trestle was made of I14 inch 
pipe and was very stable. Probably if both had been made 
of 1 inch pipe every requirement would have been met. 

In the use of a transit scow, one of these trestles was placed 
upon it. More commonly it was required to set up a transit 
over a pipe already driven, but with its top still several inches 
above the Avater surface. The placing of a transit scow so 
that such a pipe would occupy a position in the center of its 
well hole without in the operation hitting the pipe, was 
accomplished by a dexterous use of pike poles in the hands of 
the men by which the scow was moved forw^ard, so that the 
pipe passed between its two scow-boats and under the decking 
between them. When the pipe appeared in the well hole, two 
pike poles were thrust through this hole, if not already there, 
to the bottom, and made to bear against the sides of the well 
so as to bring the pipe in the center of the hole and hold it 
there during the few seconds required to let two (usually oppo- 
site) spuds descend to the bottom. No anchors were used. 
All the spuds were then lowered and the scowls hoisted par- 




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O 
I— I 

oa 

J 

Oh 
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El 

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:? 

O 

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ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 25 

tially out of water, by the corner tackles, and, if necessary, 
the spuds wedged, as elsewhere mentioned. The trestle was 
then lowered in the well hole, with the pipe central to it, and 
pressed down to a solid bearing, the cups clamped near the 
surface of the water, the tripod legs set in them, the instru- 
ment put on, and the plumb-bob made to occupy nearly its 
proper position over the pipe by raising or lowering one or 
more of the cups as found necessary. The shifting head of 
the instrument was then used, as on land, for exact centering. 
Several of these operations might be going on at the same 
time. To enable the observer to get close to his instrument, 
one or more pieces of planking were placed across the well 
hole between the tripod legs. 

In measuring over water, supports of the tape, intermediate 
between measuring scows, were generally afforded b}^ one or 
more skiffs anchored on line between them. 

It was a simple operation to move a transit scow from 
around a pipe. The trestle was first raised on deck and laid 
on its side across the Avell hole, then the spuds raised and the 
scow guided forward by the use of pike poles. 

It was necessary to drive all pipe corners, whose location 
brought them on water of more than a few inches in depth, 
down to near the bed of the lake, bay or channel in which- 
ever they chanced to be. 

Had this not been done, it is safe to say, most of them 
would have been seriously disturbed or wholh' destroyed dur- 
ing a single season. For had they escaped the destructive 
force of floating ice cakes in the late fall or early spring, 
driven as they are b}^ the winds, and often piled in winrows 
along the shores, they could hardly have escaped the resist- 
less flow of the ice gorges plowing their way down the chan- 
nels, and laterally out through every side cut and outlet, 
taking everything before them to the very bottom, or the 
gradual though none the less forceful and destructive ice 
shoving movements at times of temperature changes; or 
escaped being lifted from their positions with every vertical 
fluctuation of water level in the dead of winter. 

Then, too, it was necessary to drive these pipe, not only for 



26 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

their own safety, but also to guard against accident and 
injury to small boats and launches which, in the resort sea- 
son, ply all parts of these waters at almost all hours of day 
or night. 

This driving was rapidly and very satisfactorily accom- 
plished by a tool, especially devised for this purpose, and 
known on the work as "the driver.'' 

The body of this driver, or follower, w^as made of extra heavy 
hydraulic steel pipe, having a 2 inch internal and a 3 inch 
external diameter and, therefore, weighing about 13 pounds 
per lineal foot. To meet the varying requirements as to depth 
of water, or resistence to driving, it was divided into three 
lengths, two of which were each 54 inches long and one 24 
inches long. The ends of each length were true right sec- 
tions of the pipe, and were provided with internal screw 
threads. Any two lengths were united by a solid coupling 
piece, the central 2 inches in length of which was of the same 
external diameter as the pipe, while the end parts were turned 
down and screw threads cut on them to fit those in the ends 
of the pipe. One of the longer length served for driving pipe 
corners in water up to about 4 ft. in depth, unless more 
weight was needed on account of resistance met with. In 
water deeper than this, one or the other of the two remaining 
sections was added. 

The lower end of the driver was terminated by a solid steel 
shoe 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches long screwed into it, 
as was the coupling. The lower face of this shoe was turned 
in a lathe to a slight re-entrant conical surface, and from its 
center there projected a 1 inch steel pin, or shank, 18 inches 
long terminating in a point. In the operation of driving a 
pipe, this pin was inserted into the pipe to be driven and 
served to guide the .driver in its churning motion, while the 
conical surface of the shoe had a tendency to prevent the pipe 
being driven from splitting or brooming outward under the 
blows it received. In the top of the driver was inserted a 
strong wooden plug, forked at its upper end by a slot about 
1 inch wide and 3 inches deep. To each end of a suitable 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 27 

length, of 1/4 inch chain was attached a bitch link, by the aid 
of which a loop was formed at each end of the chain and 
passed around the pipe of the driver — one loop above the 
other, but both near its lower end, while the remainder of the 
chain was brought up along opposite sides of the pipe and 
passed through the fork of the wooden plug at the top. A 
few blows of a hammer or even from the foot served to tighten 
the loops about the pipe of the driver so that they would not 
slip, and any force applied to the chain only served to in- 
crease the grip of the loops. To complete this tool, a wooden 
handle-bar 5 ft. long was made. The shank or middle foot 
in length, of this handle-bar had a section 5 inches wide hori- 
zontally and 3 inches thick, and the ends were dressed down 
to form 2 inch round handles. Suitable holes made through 
the center of this handle-bar permitted it to be slipped down 
over the pipe of the driver and the chains at either side, and 
two common wire spikes, inserted through horizontal holes 
in the handle-bar and the links of the chain, enabled the 
handle-bar to be fixed at any position along the length, of the 
driver, or quickly changed from one position to another. 

The operation of driving pipe with this tool was as simple 
as it was satisfactory and rapid. A driving party consisted 
of two men. In open water they operated from the deck of a 
measuring scow. Having anchored the scow so that the pipe 
to be driven appeared within the area of its well hole, prefer- 
ably near one corner, the depth, of the water was taken with 
a measuring stick and noted or marked on the driver. The 
driver was then raised by its handle-bar, its pin or point in- 
serted into the pipe to be driven, when a vertical churning 
motion, given to the driver by the men — one at each end of 
the handle-bar — quickly settled the pipe to place. As the 
pipe descended the handle-bar was raised so that no back-ach- 
ing position had to be assumed. 

The churning motion of the driver, owing to its uniform 
section, produced very little disturbance in the water. With 
the range in size of pipe used for corners this section could 
not well be less than 3 inches in diameter, and 13 pounds per 



28 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

lineal foot of driver met all requirements as to weight. These 
considerations made a hollow tube preferable to a solid cyl- 
inder in its construction, though probabh' more costly. 

The height to which a pipe was left projecting above the 
bottom depended somewhat on the depth of the water and the 
exposed position of the pipe. This height varied from a few 
inches in shallow water to as much as a foot in the deeper 
parts of the bay crossings. When working on the ice, the 
driver was hauled from pipe to pipe on a sled, the method of 
operating it, however, remaining the same. Sometimes in 
shallow water, where the driving proved to be easy, particu- 
larly in positions where the men could stand on the bottom, 
or the scow could not be brought, a pipe was driven without 
the driver, by churning a selected piece of ordinary pipe upon 
its top, the blows being guided by an iron rod within it of 
smaller diameter, inserted vertically into the top of the pipe 
to be driven and prevented from descending too far into it 
by ramming in a wad of rushes. 

This selected pipe and rod formed a part of the pipe driv- 
ing men's outfit for occasional use in such cases as are indi- 
cated above. 

Whenever the pipe driving partj^ was sent out for a day's 
driving, they were furnished with a working map, showing 
the position of the pipe in the field, etc., on which they 
checked off such pipe as were driven and returned the map to 
the oJBSce. 

The plan folloAved throughout the work, of driving such 
pipe as came in the water at the time they were set by the 
transit parties only to within a few inches of the water sur- 
face and leaving them in this position until all the work of 
setting pipe, taking topography, checking the work by compu- 
tation, etc., in any particular locality was done, before further 
driving by the regular pipe driving party, rendered it rarely 
if ever necessary to set up a transit over a pipe that had been 
driven to the bottom in water of any depth. In making the 
Muscamoot Bay, Goose Bay, and Anchor Bay crossings, an 
exception was made to this in that the driving party closely 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 29 

followed the transit parties engaged in setting the pipe and 
continued the driving of the pipe to below the water surface. 

All lot corners, traverse line angles, azimuth, or triangula- 
tion, angles, or other points of the survey, were marked by 
iron pipe. A few of these pipe were 1 inch, but most of them 
11/4 to 2 inches in diameter, known to the trade -as second- 
hand pipe, furnished in various lengths and cut on the work 
into lengths suited to the character of the material into which 
they were to be driven, such lengths being used as would, 
when driven, stand securely. As set, the pipes range all the 
w^a}" from 4 to 12 ft. in length. The shorter lengths were 
used in water where they would be driven down in hard sand 
bottom. Occasionalh' longer lengths than 12 ft. were put in. 
Pipes driven on land were left projecting a foot or more 
above the ground. In hard driving, the tops of the pipes 
broomed some under the blows of the iron mauls, but not 
objectionably. A record was made in the field books of the 
length and diameter of each pipe as driven, and, when in 
w^ater, of its depth also. 

Pipe set in laying out the controlling lines of the work, as, 
for example, at the angles in the front line of lots, were 
plumbed in two directions, as driven, by the use of a plumb- 
bob. In laying out lots, pipe corners, set on a given line, at a 
given distance from another pipe on the same line, were 
plumbed, as driven, in one direction by the vertical cross- 
hair of the transit, and in a direction at right angles to this 
by a plumb-bob. Pipe corners set at the intersection of two 
transit lines, as many of them were, were plumbed as driven 
b}' the vertical cross-hair of each transit. 

The lot numbers were marked on the pipe with a prick 
punch, the marking being sometimes done before a pipe was 
driven and sometimes after, as necessity, convenience or rap- 
idity, in prosecuting the work, dictated. It was not unusual 
for a transit party to lay out a number of lots and then go 
back and mark the pipes. In such a case the transitman 
marked the numbers on a pipe with arf iron-worker's crayon, 
and was followed by one or more prick-punch men and as- 



30 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

sistants to indent the markings. A record was kept in the 
field books of all pipe markings, the same being also shown 
on the maps and tracings. 

The head of each transit party was provided in advance 
with a working map of the lots, whose corners, etc., he was 
to locate on the ground, showing sufiQcient dimensions, azi- 
muths, etc., to enable him to do the work, as well as showing 
what corners were to be marked and the numbers to be put 
on them. In general, the front corners only of lots wholly 
in water, as on the various bay crossings, were marked. Lots 
facing on the main channels had their rear corners and trav- 
erse pipes marked. Lots on other channels had their rear 
corners and intermediate side line pipe marked. A conserva- 
tive estimate, based on an actual determination of the per- 
centage of pipe marked to the whole number of pipe set on 
one of the main channels, would place the whole number of 
pipes marked as two-thirds of the whole number set. Each 
pipe generally bears at least two numbers, and not unfre- 
quently three or four, with from one to three (mostly three) 
figures in a number. 

The iron pipe used for lot corners, etc., furnished a secure, 
convenient and accurate means of supporting and centering 
flag poles. Poles up to about 6 ft. in length plumbed and 
wedged into a pipe, would so remain for a long time, through 
many gales, thus saving much time and annoyance. Poles 
higher than this were either braced or guyed with wire, and 
were not so secure against the fierce gales, being frequently 
leveled to the ground. In winter, when the flag-poles froze 
in the pipes, a bunch of marsh grass placed around a pipe, or 
a rag, saturated with a little kerosene, wrapped around the 
pipe, and ignited, soon loosened the flag-pole. Pounding on 
the pipe sometimes accomplished the same end. 

Flags were either fixed or free, and were made of white and 
red cloth, singly or combined. Observations made over dis- 
tances of two to five miles in length, were usually made upon 
fixed flags composed of a center white strip between two red 
ones. The atmospheric conditions at the Flats at all seasons 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 31 

are exceedingly unfavorable for sighting over distances of 
any length. 

The luxuriant growth of rushes, canes and marsh grass 
made it necessary to cut out a very large percentage of the 
lot and traverse lines. This was done on the land and ice or 
in water within the wading limits of hip rubber boots by 
mowing a swath in the usual manner with a scythe. Other- 
wise it was done from a skiff with one man at the stern guid- 
ing and pushing the boat forward, while a man at the bow 
with scythe or corn-knife, cut out the line — not an easy opera- 
tion. Autumn prairie fires kindly assisted in this work, but 
only to a very limited degree. Sometimes, in winter, the 
lines had to be cleared of snowdrifts also. 

All measurements were made with steel tapes. The tapes 
universally used were 500 ft. long, with graduation marks 
every 50 ft., excepting that every foot was marked for the 
first 10 ft. A 25 ft. steel tape, graduated to hundredths, was 
used in connection with each 500 ft. tape to measure the 
pluses. All tapes were necessarily on open reels. In making 
measurements with the 500 ft. tapes, excepting in occasional 
long distance measurements, w^here the entire length of tape 
was made use of, the part of the tape not needed for the 
measurement was left on the reel — the reel being used as a 
handle by the head chainman. In other words, only so much 
of a tape was unreeled as any particular measurement re- 
quired. 

In setting a pipe at a given distance from another not 
marked on the long tape, the plus was first marked on the 
tape with a soft lead pencil and tape reeled in to that mark. 
While the pipe was being driven, its position for distance was 
tested by repeating the measurement. 

In measuring a distance between two pipes already set, the 
measurement was taken from center to center of the pipes 
between the zero of the tape held at one center and a pencil 
mark made on the tape at the other center. The plus of the 
pencil mark was then taken with the 25 ft. tape. 

In measuring long distances, the successive lengths were 
5 



32 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

marked by spikes set at the forward end of the tape or under 
a plumb-bob suspended from it. These spikes served also as 
tally pins. In soft places a transit rod might be used in 
place of a spike. These distances were usually measured 
twice. 

It was the duty of a head chainman to clean and oil his 
tapes each evening to keep them free from rust. 

The 500 ft. tapes furnished were rather light for the severe 
strains put upon them, and frequent breaks occurred either 
in the body of the tape or by the end knobs pulling off. These 
were mended on the work. In order to preserve the length 
of the tape unchanged, a break anywhere between end gradua- 
tions required a splice piece in its repair. Briefly, a splice 
was made as follows : Near the end of each of the two pieces 
to be joined, a pair of opposite rectangular notches were filed 
into the edges, all four notches being of the same size and 
depth. The side surfaces to be joined were then made clean 
by filing, a small quantity of Burnley soldering paste applied 
to each piece, one of them held over an alcohol flame and 
solder applied to it, the second piece then put on the soldered 
side of the first and held accurately in place, while a pair of 
pliers pressed them together and held them till cool. Any 
superfluous solder was then filed off, especially at the notches 
and fine copper wire wrapped around both pieces for the 
length of the notch. A little more paste was then put on, 
and solder applied to the wire over the flame, being careful 
in this last operation not to unsolder the two pieces of tape 
joined in the first soldering. Any extra solder was then filed 
off, and a strong joint resulted. 

As the front lines of lots bordering on the main channels 
would come in the water, and, in some cases, the back lines 
of such lots also, it was evident at the outset that the work of 
laying out such lots, as well as carrying on the survey in gen- 
eral, would be greatly facilitated, and its accuracy increased, 
by running a broken line along and near the front shore 
lines on the highest and firmest ground, usually in front of 
the cottages, to serve as a base line for the detail work of 
laying out lots, and a frame work or skeleton uniting the 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 33 

whole. Such a line was, therefore, run, and is designated in 
the record books and on the maps as "Traverse Line." 

Whenever possible, its intersections with the side lines of 
the lots are marked by iron pipe, on which the lot numbers 
are placed. These traverse pipes and the back corner pipes 
of the lots, being in general both on the land, furnish two 
easily accessible and comparatively secure marks on the side 
lines of the lots for the convenience of claimants and others 
in identifying their boundaries. 

Where the front corners of lots facing on the side channels 
also come in the water, pipes called "intermediate" were set 
back from them on the land. These pipes being on the side 
lines of the lots and marked with the lot numbers, assist, 
like traverse pipe, in the identification of the boundaries of 
such lots. 

The component lengths of the traverse line were made as 
long as local conditions would permit. Taken in connection 
with the front lines of lots of the various bay crossings, cer- 
tain Private Claim lines, and other measured lines, they form 
closed circuits for computing and checking the accuracy of 
the work. Where possible, the stations used in extending the 
azimuths over the area under survey, were made angles in 
the traverse lines. 

These traverse lines, the front lines of all lots, whether 
fronting on the main channels, side channels, or the open 
lake, as in the bay crossing sections, the side lines of all 
existing highways, and all the azimuth and triangulation sta- 
tions, were located by the planning party consisting of my- 
self and two assistants. 

I also read the azimuths of the many component lines of 
the traverse line, and of the more numerous lines composing 
the front line of lots along the main channels (except four 
on the north side of the North Channel), the azimuths 
between corresponding traverse and front line angles between 
traverse angles on opposite sides of the channels and the azi- 
muths of the net work of general triangles covering the area 
of the survey, as exhibited on the General Azimuth Map, and 
the azimuths observed in connection with the resurvey of the 



34 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

Private Claims on Harsen Island, as well as the angles of all 
the triangulation work done. These azimuths and angles re- 
quired over 6,800 careful pointings of the instrument, and 
nearly as many careful double readings of the plates. The 
extreme care required in these observations and readings, in 
order to secure the gratifying results obtained, can only be 
appreciated by one familiar with such work in general, and 
with the St. Clair Flats in particular. The unstable and 
yielding condition of the ground, the even less stability often- 
times of the ice, the almost continuous blowing of the winds, 
the radiation, the haze, and even the movements of the water, 
in one to two feet of which the instrument had to be set up 
many times, and the necessity of prosecuting the work at all 
seasons of the year, made the task of extending the azimuths 
to every part of an area not less than 40 square miles in 
extent one of exceptional difficulty. The instruments used 
were Buff and Berger Transit No. 1306, and Berger & Sons 
Transit No. 3241. Both instruments have 4 inch circles read- 
ing to 30'', and were read to 15''. 

Ordinarily, preliminary to and forming an essential part of 
a survey of the extent and character of the present one, an 
exact triangulation, with precise measured base and closely 
measured angles, would have been spread over the area to be 
surveyed. To have properly made such a triangulation in 
the present case, would have required a considerable amount 
of time and correspondingly incurred expense, owing to the 
exceedingly rare atmospheric conditions favorable for such 
angle readings between lines passing, as these must, over and 
close to alternate stretches of land and water composing the 
''Flats." For various reasons such a triangulation seemed 
out of the question. Chief among these was the lack of time 
for planning it, and observing its angles in our efforts to 
push the details of the work and to complete the survey in 
the shortest time possible in accordance with the wishes of 
the two Land Commissioners. 

As a substitute for such usual triangulation, the following 
plan has been carried out, which, while involving practically 
no extra time or expense, has resulted in a system of general 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 35 

triangles^ shown on the map of General Triangles, the accur- 
acy of the mean coordinate results of which is believed to be 
but little inferior to a triangulation proper — certainly of 
sufficient accuracy for the purposes of this survey and be- 
lieved to be equal to careful chaining over level ground with 
a 500 ft. tape. 

The direction of all lines of the survey were read as 
azimuths. In the regular work of reading the azimuths 
of traverse lines, front lot lines and other general lines and 
in extending the azimuths from channel to channel over the 
"Flats" for the use of the transit parties engaged in the 
detail work of laying out lots, my practice was, while 
occupying important stations for these purposes, to also 
read the azimuths to other important visible stations. In 
this way the system of general triangles was gradually 
developed, as the work progressed, whose angles were deter- 
mined from the azimuths of their sides. These azimuths were 
read to the nearest 15 seconds of arc as stated above. To 
insure accuracy in extending the azimuths from one part of 
the Flats to another, the azimuths were carried by closed 
polygons, and all azimuths of the sides of the triangles used 
were read in both directions. The azimuths of some of the 
lines were read several times, not only from the same end 
but from opposite ends. When occasionally slight differences 
occurred in them their mean was taken as the adopted azi- 
muth. It is believed that the angles of the triangles, as ob- 
tained from these aximuths, are in general within 8 seconds 
of their true value, — a belief based on a comparison between 
the values of angles as obtained from their direct measure- 
ment by repetition, and their values as deduced from the 
azimuths of their sides in another part of the work, and from 
the closeness of agreement of the measured length of certain 
lines with their length as computed through a series of tri- 
angles with angles determined from the azimuths of their 
sides. 

Several of the sides of the large triangles were measured 
in winter on the ice. In the computation of the general tri- 
angles the measured distance from station Heikes to station 



36 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

Wellington is used as the base and the other measured dis- 
tances serve as a check on the accuracy of azimuth readings 
when compared with their computed values. 

In these computations where more than one value of any 
siTle of a triangle was obtained the mean of the slightly 
varying results was adopted. The co-ordinates of all stations 
adjacent to any given station were then computed with refer- 
ence to that station. Finally, taking station Fisher (which 
is also at the center of the entire work) as origin, the co- 
ordinates of all other points of the general triangulation were 
computed with reference to it from the co-ordinates between 
adjacent stations by passing from station Fisher to the other 
stations, in general, over different routes and taking the mean 
of the slightly varying results as the final co-ordinate of any 
station with reference to station Fisher. These final co-ordi- 
nates were used in plotting the points of the general triangu- 
lation on the General Map, which points in turn served as 
origins for plotting the points of the various adjusted closed 
polygons. 

The field operations were carried out by what might be 
called a planning party, several transit parties, a pipe driving 
party, and a topographical party. 

The regular work of a transit party was to lay out the lots 
in accordance with the controlling lines laid down, instruc- 
tions given and working map supplied it by myself. It con- 
sisted of a transit man in charge who did all the instru- 
mental work, except lining in with a second transit when 
setting pipe by intersection, and kept all the records, and in 
general four assistants — two chainmen and two helpers. 

The pipe driving party, operating "the driver" previously 
described, were the assistants of the planning party, detailed 
to do the driving, for which they were especially fitted on 
account of their general familiarity with the location of all 
parts of the work. 

The topographical party, when not engaged in topographi- 
cal work, formed one of the transit parties. When taking 
topography it consisted of the observer or transitman, a 
recorder, and, generally, two or three stadia men and a helper. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 37 

It was instructed to locate all shore lines, and other 
natural features, including, in certain places, edges of 
rushes, and to determine the location and extent of all im- 
provements as enumerated in the act, such as ditches, dredge 
cuts, dredge dumps, limits of raised ground, limits of culti- 
vated ground, fences, sheet piling, docks, club houses, hotels, 
cottages and other buildings and structures. 

No elevations were taken, the plan alone being determined. 
As the topographical work followed the work of laying out 
lots, the topographical instrument stations were chosen on 
convenient pipe corners, thus rendering it unnecessary for 
the topographers to *^carry" their azimuth for any work 
within reach of such corners. 

Whenever it was necessary for them to "carry" their azi- 
muth, as, for example, in the circuits around the upper end 
of Muscamoot and Goose Bays, it was carefully checked in 
the field by either closing the circuit or closing on a line of 
known azimuth. In important stadia circuits the distances 
between instrument stations were measured with the tape 
and not by stadia readings. 

Some idea of the extent of the topographical work can be 
formed from the fact that over 29,000 instrument "pointings" 
were made in its execution. All the topographical work was 
done with Buff and Berger instruments, furnished by the 
University. 

It fell to my lot, also, to interview the various claimants 
to lands on the several channels, excepting some twenty at 
the lower end of the South Channel. To this end written 
notices were sent to them to which all responded, either in 
person or by letter, and the pleasure of meeting so many 
courteous people will linger long in my memory. By going 
over a claimant's lot with him he could point out the bounds 
of his claim on the ground — information it was necessary for 
me to have before proceeding with the survey as obviously 
the lines between claimants as laid down by the survey 
should conform, as far as possible, with the lines of occupa- 
tion. At the same time a full statement was also obtained 
from each claimant as to his improvements and their value. 



38 STATE 1.AND OFFICE. 

the time and conditions of his occupation, whether there were 
contestants to his claim, or whether he was interested in 
other claims, together with his name and post-office address. 
It was not always easy to learn who the claimant to some 
of the property really was, particularly where the improve- 
ments were meager, often requiring diligent inquiry and con- 
siderable correspondence. 

Where claims overlapped, as a few of them did, or where 
the boundary lines were in dispute, an effort was made to 
secure an amicable settlement before proceeding with the 
survey. 

Where persons could not appear in person, or by proxy, the 
necessar^^ information was obtained by correspondence, which 
reached burdensome proportions at times. 

To obtain this information far enough in advance of the 
field work, to enable me to place temporary marks in the field 
in accordance therewith for the guidance of the transit parties 
in setting the permanent corners of such claims, required fore- 
thought and a liberal allowance for contingencies, particularly 
at such seasons of the year as a trip to the Flats, if not abso- 
lutely impossible, was more one of hardship than of pleasure. 

These claimants, on all channels, number 660. The informa- 
tion obtained from them in regard to their claims was put in 
permanent form and constitutes the four ''Claim Books" for- 
warded to the Land Office for future reference and use in the 
settlement of claims. 

Before the work on the South and Middle Channels could 
be closed on the lower end of the Private Claims occupying 
some 3,300 acres, or more than five square miles of land, at 
the head of Harsen Island, it was necessary to restore and 
mark the boundaries of these claims, which are five in number, 
and were surveyed in 1828, at which time the notes show their 
corners to have been marked by "a stake and mound." They 
are, in general form, strips of land less than one-half mile in 
width, extending from the North Channel, southwesterly, 
about two and one-half miles in average length. These claims 
embrace all the territorv between the South Channel and the 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 39 

Middle Channel, including two strips reserved for highways, 
only one of which, however, has been opened to travel, each 
one chain wide, situated respectively between the first and 
second and between the third and fourth claims from the 
South Channel. These roads are particularly mentioned in 
this connection, because the records of these early surveys fail 
to give any connection, either by a distance or bearing between 
claims on opposite sides of either of the roads — an omission 
which it will be seen might easily complicate or materially 
increase the work of restoring the lines of these claims in case 
a sufficient number of original corners could not be found for 
restoring, independently, claims separated by these roads. 

The recorded connection, found in the field notes of the 
early surveys, between these Private Claims and section cor- 
ners on the north side of the North Channel, were thoroughly 
investigated, — a full discussion of which will be found in 
Field Book No. 43. 

The work of restoring these claim lines was entered upon 
by obtaining copies of deeds bearing upon the subject, by con- 
sulting many of the most reliable residents and other persons 
having a knowledge of these claims, some of these persons 
being now seventy to eighty years old and reared on the island; 
by going over the claims with a number of these early settlers, 
for the purpose of having them point out to me the location of 
such landmarks as they knew, and give their testimony in 
regard to them, and in other ways collecting information bear- 
ing on the subject. This was followed by preliminary meas- 
urements and a diligent use of the pick and shovel, testing 
and verifying the evidence gathered, and adding thereto as the 
work progressed, and finally laying down the lines and monu- 
menting and witnessing the re-established corners. 

A large amount of labor was necessarily expended in this 
work, but I am gratified to state that a sufficient number of 
the old landmarks were found, and their correctness estab- 
lished beyond doubt, to enable the restoration of the whole to 
be accomplished to my entire satisfaction — the restored lines 
fitting admirably the part of the island to which they apply, 
6 



40 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

as it exists today, with allowance in a few places where evi- 
dent changes have taken place, which add to, rather than 
detract from, the confidence felt in the result. 

This work was mainly done by myself, with a couple of 
assistants and occupied about two months of time, during the 
months of July, August and September, 1901. 

There was also a Private Claim on Stromness Island, front- 
ing on the Middle Channel, whose lines and corners had to be 
restored in like manner. This claim was about one- third of a 
mile wide and two and one-quarter miles long extending to 
Goose Bay across the marsh, and containing about 515 acres. 

The long side lines had to be cut out with scythes through 
the tall marsh grass and cane. Monuments were placed on 
these side lines about 1,500 ft. apart. In the early survey of 
1828 this claim was connected with the claims on Harsen 
Island. After restoring this connection and starting the 
southerly side line of the claim, the remainder of the work was 
done by one of the transitmen, with two or three assistants. 
The sixteen monuments placed on the side lines of this Pri- 
vate Claim, it is believed, will preserve their location for many 
years to come. Each monument consists of an iron pipe 
driven well into the ground and projecting several feet above 
it, with a mound of earth raised around the pipe. Within the 
mound a quantity of lime, charcoal and brick are deposited. 
This work was done in August, 1901. The work of restoring 
the lines and corners of all the Private Claims will be found 
fully recorded in Field Books Nos. 41 and 43. These claim 
lines being restored, the surveys of the South and Middle 
Channels were then closed upon them. 

Perhaps the most difficult part of the whole survey was to 
re-establish on the ground the U. S. Government Meander Line 
of 1818 on the north side of the North Channel. Every trace 
of this meander line had disappeared, long since. It origi- 
nally started from a Lynn tree, on the north shore of Anchor 
Bay, at that time a corner of an old Chippewa reservation, 
but now gone, and some four miles from the locality on the 
North Channel to where the restored meander line would be 
needed. It passed from this tree, southeasterly, southerly, 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 41 

and southwesterly along the bay shore, nearly to the North 
Channel; thence around the horn-like point of land dividing 
the bay from the channel; thence up stream along the north 
shore of the channel to one corner of a Private Claim. Not 
only were the corners of this private claim gone, but also every 
trace of section or township lines closing on it. This meander 
line passed through parts of two separate townships, and was 
about six and one-fifth miles in length. Except In one in- 
stance, near its beginning, it was not connected with any sec- 
tion line. Indeed, not a township or section corner exists 
today in either township, south of the initial point of this 
meander. Evidently, then, any attempt to restore this line 
in accordance with the field notes of those early surveys must 
be based on existing evidences of those surveys in the sections 
further to the north. The corners of six of these sections 
were sought for and found, and their lines and azimuths re- 
measured. Valuable information was thus obtained. But still 
there were many perplexing conditions involved. No closed 
polygon, of which the meander should form a part, could be 
selected for computation which did not involve the work of at 
least three of those early surveyors, as the township, section, 
and meander lines had each been run by a different deputy 
with different chainmen, at doubtless different seasons of the 
year. How did their compasses agree? How did their chains 
compare? Were some of their measurements made over the 
prairie on frozen ground or ice, with, perhaps, the tall grass 
burned away, or were they partly made in summer, through 
water and mire, tall grass and cat-tails? 

Without going into details here, enough has been suggested 
to show that a considerable amount of field work and a large 
amount of office work was involved in a final solution of the 
problem, and also in putting the results in shape for conveni- 
ent location on the ground of that part of the meander line 
in the vicinity of the lower end of the North Channel. 

The field work was mostly done at times during the month 
of March, when advantage was tak^n of the ice, and in May, 
1901. The office work closely followed the field work. 

A complete record of all the field work done, final computa- 



42 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

tions made, information consulted with discussions, con- 
clusions, maps, etc., relating to this work will be found in 
Field Book No. 42. 

The quarter boats were kept as convenient and central to 
the work as possible by being moved forward from time to 
time as the work advanced. These movements were made by 
a tug at a cost per move, for its services, of from six to thirty 
dollars. The first move was made on October 12, 1899, from 
the first location below the Arthur House to Dederichs' Cut 
below the Riverside Hotel. Here the third quarter boat was 
added to our quarters. The second move took place on Decem- 
ber 9th, 1899, to Goodrich's Cut below Bedore Hotel. At this 
place we wintered. A temporary root cellar constructed in 
a dredge dump served as a store room for the winter supply 
of potatoes and other vegetables. From this camp the survey 
of the South Channel was practically completed, the Mus- 
camoot Crossing made, and work on the left bank of the Mid- 
dle Channel carried up nearly to the Snooks Highway before 
the ice in Muscamoot Bay became unsafe for travel. 

Although the last move in the fall was deferred as long as 
possible and then made to such a place as would be most 
central to the winter's work, still it was necessary to go three 
and four miles to a considerable part of it before navigation 
opened in the spring, permitting the quarter boats to be again 
moved. These long distances had to be traveled on foot and 
all material and tools hauled on hand-sleds. Weighted down 
with the clothing necessarily worn for protection against the 
cold, and the winds ready to pierce one through at every 
cessation of vigorous exercise, and with an eight to ten pounds 
pair of rubber boots on one's feet, the long journeys were 
fatiguing. Traveling on the ice is not easy, under the most 
favorable circumstances, and when slush or yielding snow 
overlies it traveling becomes very laborious. Each party was 
provided with a good sized hand sled. This with its heavy load 
of iron pipe, axes, maul, chisel-bar, transit-rods, and other tools 
for use during the day had to be hauled by the four or five 
assistant members of a transit party over the ice or through 
the slush or snow to the scene of the day's work. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 43 

At the approach of the second winter, before the ice formed, 
pipe were distributed to all parts where work would be carried 
on, or as near thereto as circumstances w^ould permit, and 
stacked on end in piles. This could not be done the first 
winter for lack of pipe and other reasons. The sleds were 
still necessary for carrying the tools, etc., to and from work, 
or pipe and tools while at work. 

Having completed, on the 17th of February, 1900, the laying 
out of the lots on the South Channel to within a short dis- 
tance of the Private Claims, whose exact limits were not yet 
determined, the Muscamoot crossing was undertaken on the 
ice. Its great distance from the quarter boats, from which 
everything had to be hauled on sleds, the unexpected and 
annoying movement of the whole field of ice a foot or two each 
day disturbing our working points, the presence of a number 
of large air holes in the vicinity, one of which lay in the track 
of our work and made necessary the bringing of a skiff from 
the quarters with which to cross it, the dangerous thinness of 
the ice in places, and sudden rise in temperature and rain that 
set in on the last afternoon threatening to drive us from the 
rapidly weakening ice before the last pipe could be driven, 
made this work one of much labor and some anxiety. 

This crossing, two miles in length, was planned on Satur- 
day, February 17th, 1900, and on Wednesday evening, Febru- 
ary 21st, the last pipe was driven, three days having been spent 
in laying out the lots. Here, as elsewhere, Holes were made in 
the ice (through which to drive pipe corners) with axes aided 
by a tool called a chisel-bar which consisted of an iron rod 
about six feet long and an inch in diameter flattened at either 
end to a chisel cutting edge about two inches in width. This 
tool was of great service especially where the ice was thick. 

Work on the Middle Channel was begun February 23d, 1900. 
On May 16th, 1900, the quarter boats were moved from the 
South Channel to the mouth of the Fisher on the Middle 
Channel. This was the only place on this channel where the 
quarter boats could lie in safety. Fortunately this location 
was about midway of the length of the Channel with a large 
part of the work concentrated in that immediate vicinity. 



44 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

From this camp the survey of the Middle Channel was com- 
pleted, Goose Bay Crossing made, and preliminary work on 
the Snibora Channel begun. 

The use of a launch being at our command, when needed, 
from August to the close of the navigation season assisted in 
distributing iron, towing scows and taking parties to work, 
yet not without much annoyance owing to its refusal, many 
times, to go. 

The field work of the Middle Channel was practically com- 
pleted September 15th, 1900. Meanwhile the Goose Bay Cross- 
ing had been made by taking advantage of the exceptionally 
calm days of August 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 22d, 23rd, 24th 
and 25th. This crossing of nearly two and one-half miles in 
length was made entirely by working from the transit and 
measuring scows and was in every particular a very satisfac- 
tory piece of work. Each night the scows were necessarily 
towed to a place of shelter to be returned to the point of leaving 
off on renewing operations. On the 19th and 20th of the same 
month severe wind storms passed over the Flats so great as to 
cause one of the quarter boats to partially break away from her 
moorings. No harm was done, but these storms illustrate the 
uncertainty of the weather, even in the calmest seasons, and 
show the wisdom of always removing the working outfit to a 
place of security when not in use. 

On the 18th of September, 1900, the quarter boats were 
moved from the Fisher to the Wellington dredge cut, on the 
right bank of the Snibora Channel, about midway of its length. 
Work of laying out lots on this channel was begun on the 
following day at the lower end of the left bank, and carried up 
along this bank to the North Channel and thence down stream 
on the right bank. This order of procedure was carried out on 
all the channels, even at some inconvenience, to secure con- 
secutive numbering of the lots. No two lots on the same chan- 
nel or section, therefore, have the same number.. 

After the laying out of lots on the left bank of the Snibora 
had been carried up nearly to the North Channel, the laying 
out of lots on both these channels was carried on at the same 
time, the aim being to complete as far as possible work lying 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 45 

across main channels from the winter quarters before the freez- 
ing over of those channels, leaving the lot work that could be 
reached by land, or by crossing minor channels only, till later 
in the season, thus avoiding possible delay in the work or 
danger to the men during the time of the closing in of the 
main channels with ice — the wisdom of which was clearly 
shown later. 

The laying out of the lots on the left bank of the Snibora 
Channel was completed on the 26th of October, 1900, the trav- 
erse line was completely located by the 31st and the reading of 
traverse line angles finished by November 3d. On November 
5th, 1900, the quarter boats were moved from the Wellington 
dredge cut to near the head of the Snibora and tied up for the 
winter in the dredge cut at the lower side of Ohas. Schmitt's 
Cottage on the right bank. Here, as in the previous winter, a 
temporary root cellar was constructed. This location, while 
distant from the work at the lower end on the right bank of 
the Snibora, was central to the remainder of the Snibora and 
all of the North Channel work. From this camp the entire 
work remaining was practically completed. 

Between October 13th and December 21st, 1900, nearly all 
the lots on the south bank of the North Channel from the 
Middle to the Snibora Channel were laid out, as well as other 
work on that Channel done, while the work on the right bank 
of the Snibora was continued down stream, and by the close 
of the year the amount finished was equivalent to all that 
lying to the north of the Baltimore Channel or Highway. The 
equivalent state of progress in the making of detail sheets in 
pencil at the close of the year might also be fairly stated (not 
including North Channel sheets) as to this same highway. 

The locality was fully exposed to the northwest winds across 
Anchor Bay and there were many days during the fall and 
winter months on which it was impossible to carry on field 
work on account of the fierce gales. 

In the fall of 1899 the cuts, bays and main channel shores 
were largely covered with ice during the closing weeks of 
December, and on January 1st, 1900, the main channels them- 
selves were completely blocked with ice, but a similar condi- 



46 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

tion was not reached a year later until toward the close of 
January, 1901 — about a month later in the season, and then 
with much less certainty and promptness — the ice remaining 
for a considerable time not strong enough to bear up the 
weight of a person. But as the work had been so planned that 
only the Baltimore Channel or Highway needed to be crossed 
in going to the field work from the quarter boats, the condi- 
tion was easily met by placing a number of the flat bottom 
skiffs, which were supplied with runners, at desirable cross- 
ing places of this channel and using them as ferry boats 
shoving them along over the ice when it would hold and 
letting them launch themselves into the water when it would 
not. This method was used until the channels became safely 
frozen over. 

The work of laying out lots on Strawberry Island was com- 
pleted March 7th, 1901, thus finishing the Snibora Channel. 
This island was over three and one-half miles from camp, the 
traveling was often bad, the days were short and the work of 
setting pipe corners rendered difficult and tedious in many 
places because of the sands being frozen solid to a depth of 
eighteen or more inches wherever overlaid with a foot or less 
of ice. It being of course impossible to drive pipe through 
frozen material, holes had to be cut through the ice and 
frozen sands to these depths with axes and chisel-bars. This 
usage wore out the axes very rapidly besides being very diffi- 
cult to do to such depths. 

Meanwhile the lots of that part of Anchor Bay Crossing 
below the Baltimore Highway were laid out on February 11th, 
12th and 13th, 1901, requiring two and one-half days. The 
part of this crossing above Baltimore Highway required two 
and one-half days more and these lot corners were set on the 
6th, 7th and 8th of March following. This crossing was made 
entirely on the ice without difficulty, except that about a foot 
of soft snow underlaid with water above the ice made traveling 
difficult some of the time. 

Effort was then made to complete the laying out of the lots 
on the left bank of the North Channel below the Snibora be- 
fore the ice, now rapidly being "honeycombed" by the sun, 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 47 

should loosen from the banks and "go out." This work was 
finished March 26th, 1001, and on the same day the ice began 
to run in the North and Snibora Channels. During the last 
few days of this work the ice became very unsafe. Fortu- 
nately, by care on the part of the men, no accident happened. 
A few days of "open water'' followed, advantage of which was 
taken to continue the work on the north side of the North 
Channel, but presently a large quantity of lake ice began to 
come down and from that time until the 8th of May the chan- 
nels were filled with lake ice, now grinding past like a resist- 
less avalanche and now jammed and stationar}^ with only here 
and there an opening of "blue water." It was practically 
impossible to cross the channels in this condition to do field 
work. Occasionally a crossing was made on the ice with a 
duck boat after the manner best known to residents of the 
Flats but which is not without danger at such times. The dura- 
tion of this ice blockade was without a precedent within the 
memory of the oldest inhabitants. However but little time was 
lost on account of this forced cessation of field work. Most 
of the party was kept busy with office work, — making computa- 
tions, copying and checking books, etc., and the few who could 
not do these things were engaged in other duties ; putting the 
outfit in working order, and similar work. 

At times during this period the water fell two feet or more 
below the normal stage for the season of year with the efifect 
of laying bare vast areas of land ordinarily submerged, so 
that even the large bays could almost be crossed on foot. The 
change in the location of the water shore line was everywhere 
astonishing. 

At the close of the ice blockade the field work was at once 
resumed; the topography completed on the Snibora, the sec- 
tion line work in connection with the location of the Fletcher 
Meander Line on the north side of the North Channel con- 
tinued, etc. After the 15th of May, 1901, the field force was 
reduced to one transit party besides myself and two assist- 
ants. The work of laying out lots on the north side of the 
North Channel was begun by this party on May 25th and com- 
pleted July 20th, 1901, thus finishing the laying out of lots on 
7 



48 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

the North Channel. Attention was then given to taking the 
necessary topography remaining; completing the surveys of 
the various Private Claims as noted elsewhere ; connecting the 
South and Middle Channel work with these Private Claim 
lines; and doing the preliminary work preparatory to sub- 
dividing into lots the unsurveyed area lying between Harsen 
and Kussell Islands opposite the lower part of Algonac, and 
the unsurveyed area to the westward of Private Claim Lot 
No. 3 on Harsen's Island. On neither of these areas, how- 
ever, was the laying out of lots on the ground carried out, 
instructions having been received to close the field work, which 
was done on the evening of October 5th, 1901. 

Meanwhile the quarter boats including the working outfit 
had been moved, September 2d, 1901, from the Snibora to the 
upper slip of the ship yards at Algonac. During the summer 
both the field and office force were gradually reduced in num- 
ber. On the 28th of September the use of the Alice May and 
boarding on the quarter boats were discontinued. Board was 
furnished at a private house in Algonac for the remaining 
members of the party until the 18th of October, when the 
party was reduced to three members. Their salaries were 
then increased to cover subsistence dating from the loth of 
October, 1901. 

From the close of the field work on October 5th, 1901, to the 
16th of June, 1902, the office work was continued at Algonac, 
in the two quarter boats remaining after turning over the 
Alice May. I was assisted by a draughtsman and a computer 
besides the services of a copyist employed from the 5th of 
November, 1901, to the 12th of June, 1902. After the 16th of 
June the office work was continued in the State house at 
Lansing by myself, a draughtsman, and a computer until 
August 23d, since which time I have continued the work alone 
to its completion. 

The work of the survey naturally divided itself into seven 
sections to which the records are made to correspond. These 
sections taken in their order from southeast to northwest are : 
South Channel Section, Muscamoot Section, Middle Channel 
Section, Goose Bay Section, Snibora Section, Anchor Bay Sec- 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



49 



tion and North Channel Section. This 
the general sequence in which the work w 
these sections the lot numbering begins 
tinues to the highest lot number. The 
Private Claims on Harsen and Stromness 
eighth section or division of the work, 
inclosed by these various sections. The 
marj from which some idea of the held w 
added. 



order also indicates 
as done. In each of 
with one and con- 
resurvey of the six 
Islands comprise an 
The park areas are 
following brief sum- 
ork can be gained is 



South Channel section. . 

Muscamoot section 

Middle Channel section.. 

Goose Bay section 

Snibora Channel section 

Anchor Bay section 

North Channel section. . 

Totals 



No. of 

lots. 


No. of 

highways. 


No. of 
pipe set. 


601 


63 


1,710 


44 


22 


131 


500 


71 


1,602 


53 


27 


160 


545 


68 


1,709 


48 


24 


141 


344 


40 


994 


2,135 


315 


6,447 



No. of 

claimants. 



282 

140 

173 

65 



660 



In the resurvey of the Private Claims and other work out- 
side of the above sections 101 pipe were set, of which 35 had 
mounds built about them. 

A summation of the distances measured on the work is 
given below. 

The ^'front line" of each channel as used in this summation 
includes the front line of lots and highways fronting directly 
on the channel itself but not the front lines of lots and high- 
ways fronting on side channels or bays. As seen, these are 
included in the third item. 



50 



STATE LAND OFFICE. 



Sections and Items. 


Miles. 


Miles. 


Miles. 


Miles. 


South Channel lots and highways: 
Front line of lots and highways 


6.91 


7.60 


64.91 




Traverse line of lots and highways 




Remaining front line, and back and side lines, 
etc 














Total 








79 42 












Muscamoot section lots and highways: 
Front line of lots and highways 


2.03 


1.27 


8.17 




Traverse line of lots and highways 




Remaining front line, and back and side lines, 
etc 














Total 








11.47 












Middle Channel lots and highways: 
Front line of lots and highways 


12.45 


12.89 


88.98 




Traverse line of lots and highways 




Remaining front line, and back and side lines, 
etc 














Total 








114 33 












Goose Bay section lots and highways: 
Front line of lots and highways 


2.47 




10.15 




Back and side lines . . 












Total 








12 62 












Snibora Channel lots and highways : 
Front line of lots and highways 


8.99 


8.14 


88.04 




Traverse line of lots and highways 




Remaining front line, and back and side lines, 
etc 














Total 








105.17 












Anchor Bay section lots and highways : 
Front line of lots and highways 


2.38 




8.80 




Back and side lines 












Total 








11 18 












North Channel lots and highways : 
Front line of lots and high w ays 


4.69 


4.34 


56.20 




Travei'se line of lots and highways 




Remaining front line, and back and side lines, 
etc 














Total 








65 20 












Totals 


39.92 


34.21 


325.25 


399.38 







ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



51 



Sections and Items. 



Land between Russell Island and the meander of private claim lot No. 2, 
Harsen Island 

Distances measured between triangulation stations, traverse stations and 
various other prominent points, also including lines measured on Fair 
Haven section line work and stadia lines on Russell and Harsen Islands 
and in Algonac 

Private claim lot No. 1, Stromness Island 

Private claims lots Nos. 2, 1, 3, 4 and 5, Harsen Island 

Total 

Grand total 



Miles. 



1..58 



113.62 

S.74 

19.51 



140.45 



539.83 



A summation of the areas of lots and highways and of 
park as determined by the planimeter from the General Map 
Is given below : 



Lots and Highways. 



South Channel lots and highways 

Muscamoot Bay section lots and highways. 

Middle Channel lots and highways 

Goose Bay section lots and highways 

Snibora Channel lots and highways, less- 
Strawberry and Baltimore highways 

Strawberry highway 

Baltimore highway 

Anchor Bay section lots and highways 

North Channel lots and highways, less — 

Fairhaven highway 

Fairhaven highway 



Total. 



Land, 
acres. 



427.85 



783.63 



625.48 



278.86 



2,115.82 



Water, 
acres. 



300.53 
116.54 
515.69 
151.48 

584.52 

81.97 

107.28 

134.76 

433.18 

81.88 

2,507.83 



Total. 



728.38 

116.54 

1,299.32 

151.48 

1,210.00 

81.97 

107.28 

134.76 

712.04 

81.88 

4.623.65 



52 



STATE LAND OFFICE. 



Park. 



Park area bounded by private claims, lines and back 
line of South Channel, Muscamoot section and 
Middle Channel lots and highways 

Park area bounded by back line of Middle Channel, 
North Channel, Snibora Channel and Goose Bay 
section lots and highways, and side and back lines 
of private claim lot No. 1, Stromness Island 

Park area bounded by back line of North and Snibora 
Channels, Baltimore highway and Anchor Bay sec- 
tion (above the Baltimore highway) lots and high- 
ways 

Park area bounded by back line of Snibora Channel, 
Baltimore and Strawberry highways, and Anchor 
Bay section (below the Baltimore highway) lots and 
highways 

Park area on north side of North Channel 



Total. 



Land, 
acres. 



3,348.13 



2,078.31 



78.56 



100.97 



5,605.97 



Water, 
acres. 



3,372.08 



3,407.69 



517.64 



686.02 
2.57 



7,986.00 



Total. 



6,730.21 



5,486.00 



596.20 



r86.99 
2.57 



13,591.97 



The following gives a general summation of all areas 
covered by the survey as determined by the planimeter from 
the General Map. 



Description. 


Land, 
acres. 


Water, 
acres. 


Total. 


Russell Island 


132.82 

29.37 
613.65 

19.56 
634.83 
647.32 

18.48 
645.43 
621.35 

120.93 

427.85 

3,348.13 




132.82 


Unsurveyed land between Russell Island and meander 
of private claim lot No. 2, Harsen Island 




29.37 


Private claim lot No. 2, Harsen Island 




613.65 


Road between private claim lot No. 2 and P. C. lot 
No. 1, Harsen Island 




19.56 


Private claim lot No. 1, Harsen Island 




634.83 


Private claim lot No. 3, Harsen Island 




647.32 


Road between private claim lot No. 3 and P. C. lot No. 
4, Harsen Island 




18.48 


Private claim lot No. 4, Harsen Island 




645.43 


Private claim lot No. 5, Harsen I. to S. E. side of slough 




621.35 


Private claim lot No. 5, Harsen I. from S. E. side of 
slough to channel, northwesterly • 




120.93 


South Channel lots and highways 

Park area bounded by private claims, lots 1 to 5 and 
back lines of South Channel, Muscamoot section 
and Middle Channel, lots and highways 


300.53 
3,372.08 


728.38 
6,720.21 







ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



53 



Description. 


Land, 
acres. 


Water, 
acres. 


Total. 


Muscanaoot section lots and highways 




116.54 

515.69 

50.45 

3,407.69 
151.48 

584.52 
134.76 

517.64 

686.02 

433.18 
2.57 

824.74 

554.78 

1,585.10 

107.28 

81.97 

81.88 


116.54 


Middle Channel lots and highways 


783.63 
464.34 

2,078.31 


1,299.32 


Private claim lot No. 1, Stromness Island 


514.79 


Park area bounded by back line of Middle Channel, 
North Channel, Snibora Channel and Goose Bay 
section lots and highways, and side and back lines 
of private claim lot No. 1, Stromness Island 


5,486.00 


Goose Bay section lots and highways 


151.48 


Snibora Channel lots and highways (less Strawberry 
and Baltimore highways) 


625.48 


1,210.00 


Anchor Bay section lots and highways 


134.76 


Park area bounded by back line of North and Snibora 
Channels, Baltimore highway and Anchor Bay sec- 
tion (above the Baltimore highway) lots and high- 
ways 


78.56 

100.97 

278.86 


596.20 


Park area bounded by back line of Snibora Channel, 
Baltimore and Strawberry highways and Anchor 
Bay section (below the Baltimore highway) lots 
and highways 


786.99 


North Channel lots and highways (less Fairhaven high- 
way) 


712.04 


North Channel park area on north side of said channel 
Middle Channel 


2.57 




824.74 


Snibora Channel 




554.78 


North Channel 




1,585.10 


Baltimore highway 




107.28 


Strawberry highway 




81.97 






81.88 








Total area of survey including P. C 


11,669.87 
3,948.08 


13,508.92 
50.45 


25,178.79 


Area of private claims, lots 1 to 5, Harsen Island and 
private claim lot 1, Stromness Island, Russell Island 
and unsurveyed land between Russell Island and 
meander of P. C. lot No. 2, Harsen Island 


3,998.53 




Total area surveyed less private claims 


7,721.79 


13,458.47 


21,180 26 







54 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

It is gratifying to report that no serious accident occurred 
to life or property during the two years of field operation, 
though carried on often times not without danger, particu- 
larly on the ice. Following the custom of the inhabitants, 
"muskrat spears," supplied to all the parties, were used by 
them to test the ice, as one advanced upon it, by thrusting 
the point of the spear into the ice in front. These speara 
resemble a large awl and consist of a wooden handle from 
one and one-half to two inches in diameter and two to three 
feet long from one end of which projects a pointed iron rod 
from one-fourth to three-eighths inch in diameter and two to 
three feet long. Each of the parties was also provided with a 
suitable length of five-sixteenths inch cotton line carried by 
one of the party in the form of a skein over one shoulder and 
under the opposite arm for use in case one of the party got 
in. Some times a long rope was attached to a sled and the 
men pulling it distributed along its length for greater safety. 
In general men were not permitted to go any great distance 
alone on the ice. Every reasonable precaution was taken, and 
yet the men now and then got in and a number of very narrow 
escapes from serious consequences are recalled, but, fortu- 
nately, nothing more than a cold bath or thorough wetting 
resulted in any case. 

As to the comparative facilities afforded in winter and 
summer for carrying on the survey but little can be said. 
Each season had its advantages and disadvantages. In the 
summer there were waves to contend with often times, but 
getting from place to place in skiffs or with the launch was 
easier than on the ice, particularly when covered with snow 
or slush. The summer furnished better facilities for properly 
planning out the work on the ground when all conditions of 
shore and depth of water could everywhere be readily seen. 

In the work of laying out lots there was more cutting of 
lines in summer than in winter. On the other hand setting 
pipe in water, shallow enough to be easily waded with rubber 
boots, could probably be done with more facility than where 
holes had to be cut through thick ice. In deeper water work- 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 55 

ing with the scows was slower than on the ice under favorable 
conditions for both. The winter days furnished fewer hours 
per day for work than in summer, as it Avas absolutely unsafe 
to be out after dark in winter. Winter work, too, might be 
more distant from camp than in summer and a larger propor- 
tion of the time consumed in going and coming. Those periods 
of change from open water to ice bound channels, or the 
reverse, in the late fall and early spring offered the greatest 
hinderance to progress. 

In conclusion I may say that the whole work has been car- 
ried on under great natural difficulties, — water and air, ice 
and snow, winds and waves have been to contend with. Only 
by taking advantage of every favorable condition, by keeping 
every feature of the work planned well in advance, by keeping 
the force constant I3' employed — changing from one thing to 
another or from field to office work as weather conditions 
dictated, and by constant vigilance and push has it been possi- 
ble to bring the many elements of the vrork to a successful 
completion in the time actually consumed. 

The detail sheets, as the maps of the survey are called, are 
on sheets of Whatman drawing paper Super Koyal (19 by 27 
inches) in size but mainly of Double Elephant thickness, 
mostly with hot pressed surface and having a protractor circle 
14 inches in diameter, graduated to one-quarter degrees 
stamped centrally upon each sheet. By means of this circle 
the azimuths of the various lines as they were read in the 
field were easily laid down on the sheets by the use of a steel 
straight edge and triangle. Distances were plotted with a 
flat scale graduated into eightieths of an inch on one edge and 
one hundredths on the other. 

The finished size of these detail sheets is 17 by 26 inches 
and 15 by 24 inches within the border line. All of the sheets, 
with the exception of the three sheets showing the Private 
Claims on Harsen Island on which north and south has a 
direction of forty-five degrees with the side of the sheet, are 
oriented so that north and south always correspond with one 
of two directions — lengthwise of the sheet or at right angles 
8 



56 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

thereto. A suitable north point showing the relation of the 
azimuths of the lines to the cardinal points is drawn on each 
sheet. The relative position of the sheets is such that each lot 
will appear entire on at least one sheet. In many places where 
the grouping of the lots is complicated this necessitates a con- 
siderable overlapping of the sheets. 

On each sheet is represented the data contained in the field 
and stadia books within the limits of the sheet, such as the 
direction and measurement of lines, pipe corners and their 
markings, buildings, sheet piling, dredge cuts, dredge dumps, 
ditches, raised ground limits, cultivation limits, fences, docks, 
shore lines, etc. The number of each lot, the names of the 
highways and of the channels as well as of the leading hotels, 
club houses, etc., also appear. 

There is also printed on each sheet a "note," an "explana- 
tion" of the meaning of the various lines, a scale (though 
sometimes drawn) and a title in which appears the name of 
the section to which the sheet belongs, the total number of 
sheets in that section, the number of the sheet itself and other 
statements which serve to identify the sheet as a part of the 
records of the St. Clair Flats survey in accordance with the 
Legislative Act of 1899. 

All the lots on the four channel sections namely. South 
Channel, Middle Channel, Snibora Channel and North Chan- 
nel are plotted on these sheets to a scale of 80 ft. to one inch. 
Where the lots were small or the improvements extensive this 
scale was none too large for a practical representation of 
them. In other cases a smaller scale would have served every 
purpose but for the sake of uniformity the scale was not 
varied on these sections. Supplemental detail sheets to a 
smaller scale were, however, made of certain localities where 
a general idea of them could not well be gained on account of 
their complexity from a grouping of these large scale detail 
sheets, and thus the relative position of a large group of lots 
or related objects was exhibited on a single sheet. These 
smaller scales were always some simple multiple of the large 
scale. 




Q 

I 

O 

o 
m 

CZ3 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



57 



A list of these reduced scale detail sheets is given below. 



Section. 


Sheet 
No. 


Scale. 


Locality shown. 


South Channel.. 


1 


400 ft. 


to one inch.... 


"Old Club" lot 1, Ship Canal, etc. 


Middle 


12 


160 ' 




Three Rivers highway. 


(( (( 


23 


240 ' 




Muscamoot Ridge. 


(( i( 


41 


560 ' 




Private claim lot 1, Stromness Island. 


<( It 


55 


240 ' 




Fisher highway. 


It It 


73 


240 ' 




Lower end, right bank. 


Snibora " 


21 


160 ' 




Head of channel. 


" 


37 


400 ' 




Baltin)ore highway. 


" " 


68 


400 ' 




Strawberry highway. 


North " 


35 


400 ' 




North side of channel. 



All the lots of the Bay (crossing) sections, namely, Musca- 
moot Section, Goose Bay Section and Anchor Bay Section are 
plotted on the sheets to a scale of 160 ft. to the inch. 

The three sheets showing the five Private Claims at the 
head of Harsen Island have a scale of 560 ft. to the inch. 

The field and stadia notes, that is, the lot lines and topog- 
raphy, were first plotted in pencil on the detail sheets — the 
former by means of the protractor on the sheet itself, as indi- 
cated above, and the latter by means of a movable protractor 
made by cutting out the center portion of a sheet, orienting 
it at each stadia station and plotting the stadia "shots" with 
a scale using the data as read in the field as polar coordinates. 

This plotting in pencil was kept as close up to the field work 
as circumstances would permit, and served as a check on large 
errors in the field. Computation was, however, relied on to 
check the field work, particularly the measurements, as the 
azimuths were required to be checked in the field. The com- 
putations made will be found in the Computation Books. 

These pencil sheets were subsequently finished in ink. The 
inking up of the sheets required, on the part of the draughts- 
man, the ability to make plain neat letters and figures of 
various sizes inclined or upright and of uniform or shaded 
lines. Of the many who claimed to be draughtsmen and tried 
to do the work only three were competent and satisfactory. 



58 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

One of these remained on the work three months and one, an 
engraver, six months, while the third, who came to us in the 
early part of the work as an office man and who was employed 
to plot the sheets in pencil, so developed his draughting abili- 
ties as to enable him to do the inking quite as satisfactorily as 
it had been done by the other two, and from May, 1901, to the 
close of the work he was employed in inking the sheets, trac- 
ings. General Map, etc. I refer to Mr. John Schmutz. 

After the detail sheets were finished in ink, tracings were 
made of them on tracing cloth and the same "note," "explana- 
tion," scale and title printed thereon as on the corresponding 
sheets. 

The sheets when completed were carefully compared with 
the Field Books and with the Computation Books and also 
with each other where they overlapped. The tracings were 
likewise carefully compared with the sheets and, where they 
overlapped, each tracing was compared with the sheet of the 
other. The sheets and tracings were also carefully examined 
with reference to details of topography and execution. Com- 
parisons were also made between detail sheets and tracings of 
reduced scale and the sheets of large scale covering the same 
locality. 

The effort has been made to make the sheets and tracings 
accurate in every particular, and it is believed the remaining 
errors, if any, are few in number and unimportant in char- 
acter. 

After the tracings of a section were completed and checked, 
six blue print copies were made of each tracing before for- 
warding the sheets and tracings with the other records of that 
section to the Land Office. One complete set of blue prints w^as 
made for the purpose of being deposited in the register of 
deed's office of St. Clair county as required by the act, one was 
retained for use on the w^ork to which frequent reference was 
made, one went to the United States Engineer Office at De- 
troit, etc. Between 1,500 and 1,600 blue prints w^ere required. 
The continuous cloudy weather at the Flats, particularly dur- 
ing the winter season, frequently prolonged the time required 
to complete these prints. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 59 

It has been thought advisable to accompany each of the 
patents issued by the State to claimants of lots, as provided 
for in the act, by a blue print copy of the tracing of the sheet 
on which the claimant's lot appears. Blue prints so used 
trimmed to 16 b}^ 26 inches in size, which the width of the 
border permits, and folded twice will conform to the size of 
the ordinary legal document. 

The desirability of having the office work closely follow the 
field work was recognized at the outset, but owing to the in- 
ability to obtain suitable draughtsmen, and the repeated fail- 
ures of those engaged to do the work, there was always a con- 
siderable interval of time between finishing the field work of 
a section and the completion in ink of the maps and tracings 
of that section. The plotting of the field work in pencil on 
the detail sheets was, however, kept quite close up w^ith the 
field work after the office work began, but it was not until the 
15th of December, 1899, that an office man was secured for this 
purpose, and not until May 1st, 1900, did a draughtsman 
capable of inking up the sheets and tracings report at the 
quarterboats. On the 26th of July, 1900, tiiis draughtsman 
completed the fortj'-two sheets and tracings covering the field 
work of the South Channel so far as finished on the 17th of 
February as elsewhere noted. On the 31st of the same month 
he finished the sheets and tracings of the Muscamoot Section 
and closed his work on the survey — his engagement having 
been temporary. On July 27th, 1900, forty-two detail sheets 
and all of the records relating to the South Channel were sent 
to the Land Office excepting forty-two tracings and the filing 
envelopes which were forwarded on August 4th. The few re- 
maining maps, tracings and records relating to the closure of 
the South Channel lots on the Private Claims were turned 
over to the Land Office at the close of the work. 

The second draughtsman reported on July 22d, 1900, and 
closed his services on February 2d, 1901, having meanwhile 
completed the inking up of the sheets and tracings of the 
Middle Channel and of Goose Bay Section except parts of cer- 
tain sheets which could not be completed until after connec- 



60 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

tion had been made, in the field, with Private Claims and the 
Snibora Channel work. 

Blue prints of the seventy-one completed tracings of the 
Middle Channel having been finished on February 21st, all the 
sheets, tracing and other records of this channel, completed as 
above noted, except the Stadia Books, which were retained 
for use in plotting the general map, were turned in to the 
Land Office on February 28th, 1901. 

The sheets, tracings and other records of the remaining sec- 
tions were not sent to the Land Office as completed from time 
to time, but were retained till the close of the work. Neither 
was the work on any particular section kept strictly continu- 
ous until its completion, but was varied from one section to 
another as necessity or the best progress of the work as a 
whole dictated or demanded. 

The inking up of the sheets of the Snibora Channel was 
begun May 6th and practically completed June 22d, 1901, and 
their tracings were finished January 24th, 1902. Meanwhile 
the remaining uncompleted sheets and tracings of the South 
and Middle Channels were finished after connection had been 
made in the field with the Private Claim lines and other map- 
ping done. 

The Anchor Bay sheets and tracings wei-e finished on Feb- 
ruary 17th, 1902. The sheets of the North Channel section 
were completed March 6th and their tracings by April 2d, 
1902. The inking in of the lot numbers and of the names of 
the highways on the sheets of the North Channel and Anchor 
Bay sections was greatly facilitated by the use of a small 
printing device in connection with carbon paper by which the 
names and large figures were impressed on the maps and then 
finished in India ink. 

To accompany the detail sheets and tracings of the various 
sections a General Map has been prepared to a scale of 800 ft. 
to one inch covering the entire area surveyed. In size it is 
75 inches east and west and 59 inches north and south. It 
shows the topography of the Flats and the lots, highways, 
park areas and Private Claims surveyed. It has been plotted 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 61 

with extreme care by the rectangular coordinate method. The 
origin of coordinates is station Fisher. Through it coordinate 
axes were drawn on the map and lines parallel to them at 
intervals of 5,000 ft. Points of the general triangulation were 
then plotted from their mean coordinates as found in Tri- 
angulation Book No. 1. These points served as origins for 
plotting the angles of the large adjusted polygons and these 
angles in turn formed origins for minor polygons, and so on 
down to the lesser details, using the coordinates of the various 
polygons as found in the Coordinate Books. 

A General Azimuth Map has also been prepared by taking 
from the General Map a tracing of the topography of the 
Flats, and of the traverse and general triangulation angles 
and adding thereto the many general lines whose azimuths 
were read. It exhibits the many lines by which the whole 
work is tied together. From it an azimuth can readily be 
obtained in any part of the Flats in case it is desired to 
retrace any of the lot lines in future years. 

Thirteen tracings were also taken from the General Map, 
every detail, topography, lot lines, etc., being traced. Each 
of these tracings is of the same size size as the detail sheets and 
tracings and taken together form one complete tracing of the 
General Map. 

On these tracings were then drawn in their correct relative 
position rectangles representing the detail sheets, within their 
border line, to the scale of these tracings. In one corner of 
each rectangle so drawn was plainly written the number of 
the sheet it represents. A north point and an appropriate 
title were also placed upon each of the tracings. The number 
of each lot was also written within its boundary lines. 

These tracings constitute the Index Sheets to the sets of 
sheets and tracings of the various sections. Thus, two of 
them make up the Index Sheets of the South Channel detail 
sheets and their blue prints are placed with the South Channel 
tracings as an index to them for use in the office. Three others 
form the Index Sheets for the Middle Channel Sheets, etc. 

Various minor tracings were also prepared, blue prints of 
which are to be found in a number of the record books. 



62 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

A list of all maps and tracings will be found in the general 
list of records of the survey. 

All Field Books have been put in suitable form for perma- 
nent record at the Land Office, with descriptive title within 
and a distinguishing designation without, both on the back of 
the book and on the cover. Each book has also been gone over 
bv myself line by line, and item b}^ item for the purpose of re- 
moving any possible errors in the text or sketches. These 
Field Books are forty-three in number. Xine relate to the 
South Channel, ten to the Middle Channel, including the Mus- 
camoot and Goose Bav sections, thirteen to the Snibora Chan- 
nel, including Anchor Bay section, and eight to the North 
Channel. Books Xos. 41 and 43 relate exclusively to the re- 
survey of the Private Claims on Harsen and Stromness 
Islands, and Xo. 42 deals solely with the restoration of the 
Fletcher Meander line on the north side of the North Channel. 
Nos. 1, 4, 12, 15, 22, 25 and 36 are general in character, as they 
relate to planning and laying out the work. The remaining 
books contain the records of the operations of the transitmen 
in laying out the lots. 

The Stadia Books are twenty-two in number, and contain 
the record of the topographical survey. Like the field books, 
each has a title descriptive of locality within, and a distin- 
guishing designation without on back and cover, and is also 
indexed when the work of which it is the record is without the 
area of the lots. The first five of these books relate to the 
South Channel, the eight following to the Middle Channel, etc. 

The Computation Books are twelve in number. In them 
are recorded, in ink, the office computations, made primarily 
for the purpose of checking the accuracy of the field work, but 
which also furnish data for computing the coordinates for 
plotting the General Map. These computations consist of 
latitude and departure computations of polygons of all sizes, 
from those of a single lot to those of miles in circumference. 
The errors of closure in the latitudes and departures of these 
polygons furnish a criterion for judging of the accuracy of the 
field work. At first polygons embracing several lots were 
selected for computation, but it was soon found advisable to 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 63 

compute every lot or highway laid out that was not a parallelo- 
gram or rectangle in shape, and this was done. A sketch of 
each polygon on which the azimuths and lengths of its sides 
are written accompanies each computation. These books are 
all completely indexed and have titles within, and distinguish- 
ing designations without, like other record books. Their dis- 
tribution among the different channels or sections will be 
shown in the list of records given below. 

The Claim Books, as heretofore stated, contain the state- 
ments of claimants to lands on the Flats. The situation and 
extent of the various highways are also described for conven- 
ience of reference. Each book is supplemented by an alpha- 
betical index of highways, a numerical index of lots claimed, 
and an alphabetical index of claimants to lots. The four 
Claim Books are designated as the South, Middle, Snibora 
and North Channel Claim Book, respectively. The size of 
page is 12 by 7 inches, while all other records are in engineer- 
ing field books with 8 by 5i/4 inch pages. 

In the Frontage Books, as their name implies, such front- 
ages are assigned to the lots as are considered equitable in 
the matter of settlement with claimants, or in the sale of un- 
claimed lots on the basis of frontage. In general, these front- 
ages agree with the frontages of the lots as found on the maps, 
and only materially differ from them where the length of 
frontage of a lot is disproportional to its area. In the case of 
irregular lots, other information obtained from the maps is 
also stated in regard to them, such as rear width, mean depth, 
a second frontage, length of side line on a highway, etc. The 
channel, highway, or bay, on which the lot frontage is taken, 
is stated, and where lots are claimed the name of the claimant 
is given. An alphabetical index of claimants is also added. 
Title and exterior designation, as on other record books, com- 
plete these books, which are four in number, namely, the South 
Channel, the Middle Channel, which includes the frontages of 
Muscamoot and Goose Bay sections, the Snibora Channel, in- 
cluding the Anchor Bay section, and the North Channel 
Frontage Book. 

In the Filing Envelopes, returned as a part of the records, 
9 



64 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

will be found the letters or other papers received from claim- 
ants during the survey relating to their claims. The name of 
the channel, the number of the lot, the name of the claimant, 
and the contents of the envelope appear on the outside of each 
for ready reference. 

In the Area Book are recorded the planimeter determina- 
tion of the areas embraced within the limits of the survey as 
obtained from the General Map. These areas, in which the 
land and water areas are kept separate, have been obtained in 
considerable detail, the results have been grouped or classi- 
fied by islands and by channels, and a general summation also 
made, so as to readily supply almost any information likely to 
be desired in respect to them. The areas of the various claims 
in the interior of Harsen Island, southwest of the Private 
Claims, now occupied for farming or grazing purposes, are 
also given. The book also contains a summation of distances 
measured, classified and grouped in various ways. 

Finally, to make the information contained in the various 
records easily accessible, index cards have been prepared for 
each section of the work. This indexing is by lots. A sepa- 
rate card is made out for each lot. On this card appear the 
number of the sheet on which the lot is drawn, the name of its 
claimant, if any, and the book and page references where may 
be found its claim record, its frontage, its computation, the 
notes of the field operations performed, either in laying it out 
or within its bounds, and any correspondence regarding it. 

Similar cards have also been made out for the Private 
Claims on Harsen and Stromness Islands, as well as for the 
interior claims on Harsen Island, southwest of the Private 
Claims and for an island in Goose Bay. 

It will be perceived that a considerable amount of labor 
was involved in the preparation of these 2,152 index cards, 
necessitating, as it did, a careful perusal of the Field and 
Stadia Books and a careful, though more general examination, 
of all the other records. 

In order that a more comprehensive view may be had of 
the field records and office work, there is given the following 
index list of records returned to the Land Office : 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



65 



Kind of Record. 


South Channel section. 


Muscamoot (crossing) 
section. 


Field books 


Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (6-8) 7, 9, 
and (10-11). 


See Middle Channel field 




books Nos. 10, 11. 13 and 13. 


Stflidia books 


Nos. 1,3, 3, 4 and 5. 


See Middle Channel stadia 




book No. 8. 


Computation books 


Nos. 1 and 2. 


See Middle Channel com- 






putation book No. 3. 


Claim book 


South Channel claim book. 
South Channel frontage 




Frontage book 


See Middle Channel front- 




book. 


age book. 


Original detail sheets 


44 (1 to 42 inclusive and 43a 
and 43b). 


3. 


Tracings of detail sheets. . . 


44 (1 to 42 inclusive and 43a 
and 43b, also tracing of 
sheets 2-3 combined) . 


3. 


Index sheets (tracings) 


2. 


1. 


Index sheets (blue prints) . . 


o 


1. 


Index cards (by lots) 


(61 1) 601 of South Channel 
lots and 10 of interior 
claims on Harsen I. S. W. 
of P. C. 


44. 


Filing envelopes 


131. 




Kind of record. 


Middle Channel section. 


Goose Bay (crossing) sec- 
tion. 


Field books 


Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 
17, 18 and 20. 


See Middle Channel field 




books Nos. 15, 17 and 18. 


Stadia books 


Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 

13. 
Nos. 3, 4 and 5. 




Computation books 


See Middle Channel compu- 
tation book No. 5. 






Claim books 


Middle Channel claim book. 
Middle Channel frontage 




Frontage book 


See Middle Channel fron - 




book. 


age book. 


Original detail sheets 


77. 


4. 


Tracings of detail sheets. . . 


77. 


4. 


Index sheets (tracings) 


3. 


1. 


Index sheets (blue prints) . . 


3. 


1. 


Index cards (by lots) 


500. 


53. 


Filing envelopes 


34. 









66 



STATE LAND OFFICE. 



Kind of record. 


Snibora Channel section. 


Anchor Bay (crossing) sec- 
tion. 


Field books 


Nos. 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 


Books Nos. 25, 31, 32, 33 and 
34 of Snibora Channel. 




27, 29. 31, 32, 33 and 34. 


Stadia booljs 


Nos. 14, 15 16 and 19 


See North Channel stadia 
book No. 18, and Snibora 










Channel stadia book No. 
16. 
See Snibora Channel com- 
putation book No. 9. 


Computation books 


Nos. 6 7, 8 and 9 






Claim book 


Snibora Channel claim book 




Frontage book 


Snibora Channel frontage 
book. 


See Snibora Channel front- 
age book. 




Original detail sheets 


68. 


4. 


Tracings of detail sheets. . . 


68. 


4. 


Index sheets (tracings) 


2. 


1. 


Index sheets (blue prints) . . 


2. 


1. 


Index cards (by lots) 


(546) 545 of Snibora lots and 
1 of islands in Goose Bay. 


48. 


Filing envelopes 


33. 





Kind of record. 


North Channel section. 


Private claims on Harsen 
and Stromness Islands. 


Field books 


Nos. 28, 


30, 35, 36, 


37, 38, 39, 


Nos. 41 and 43. 




and 40 








Stadia boolis 


Nos. 17, 


18, 20, 21 and 22. 


See North Channel stadia 










book Nos. 20, 21 and 22 and 










Middle Channel stadia 










books Nos. 8 and 9. 


Computation books 


Nos. 10, 


11 and 12. 




See North Channel com" 










putation book No. 12. 


Claim book 


North Channel claim book. 
North Channel frontage 




Frontage book 






book. 






3 (Harsen Island). 


Original detail sheets 


35. 






3 (Harsen Island). 


Tracings of detail sheets. . . 


35. 








Index sheets (tracings) 


3. 








Index sheets (blue prints) . . 


3. 






(6) 5 of private claims on 


Index cards (by lots) 


344. 






Harsen Island and 1 of 
private claim on Strom- 
ness Island for map of 
which, see Middle Channel 
sheet, No. 41. 


Filing envelopes 


10. 













ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



67 



Kind of record. 



Field book 

Stadia books 

General records 



Minor records. 



Fletcher Meander Line. On north side of North 
Channel, Ts. 2 and 3 N., R. 15 E., Mich. 



No. 42. 

See North Channel stadia books Nos. 18 and 20. 
Triangulation computation books Nos. 1 and 2. 
Co-ordinate computation books Nos. 1 and 2. 
General map St. Clair Flats survey. 
General azimuth map St. Clair Flats survey (tracing). 
Planimeter area determinations fx'om general map. 
Area book. 
Tracings (blue prints of which, except the last, are to be 

found in various record books). 
Map of general triangles, St. Clair Flats survey. 
Triangulation of North and Middle Channels from Sta. 

Quibell to Sta. Pipes Russell Island (or adjacent to the 

private claims on Harsen Island). 
Triangles of North Channel near Pt. aux Chenescle. 
Plat of section lines in T. 3 N., R. 15 E. Retraced and of 

traverse polygon embracing sections in Ts. 2 and 3 N., 

R. 15 E. 
Map showing present shore line of Anchor Bay and 

North Channel in Ts. 2 and 3 N, R. 15 E., and location 

of the Fletcher Meander Line, etc. 
Copy of Plat of Ts. 2 and 3 N., R. 15 E. from land office. 
Map of claims in the interior of Harsen Island S. W. of 

the private claims. 
Working sheet of proposed lots (not laid out) between 

P. C. lot No. 2 Harsen Island and Russell Island, etc. 
Working sheet of proposed subdivision into lots and park 

of lands between the Meander lines of P. C. lot No. 5 

Harsen Island and the Middle and North Channels. 
Copy of map of private claims on Harsen Island found 

in St. Clair Co. Atlas of 1876. 
Copy of Curtis R. Champion's plat of Roby point. 
Copy of Algonac, Mich., in St. Clair Co. Atlas of 1876. 



In carrying out and directing the details of this survey, I 
have sought to attain the following ends, believing that only 
in their realization could the survey be of real value: 

First, That the work in the field should be accurately done 
in every particular — in the measurement of distances, in the 
reading of azimuths, in the setting, marking and driving of 
corners, etc. — and that the field notes should be a full, clear 
and accurate record of all the field operations; 



68 



STATE LAND OFFICE. 



Second, That all the office work should be characterized by 
neatness, clearness and accuracy, whether exhibited in the 
maps and tracings, or in the books of record; and 

Third, That every item of information contained in any of 
the records should be quickly reached through the medium of 
a comprehensive index. 

In this connection it affords me pleasure to express my ap- 
preciation of and acknowledge my indebtedness to the services 
of those of my co-workers who, by faithfulness, interest and 
intelligent and painstaking efforts have contributed their 
share toward making the survey and its records trustworthy 
in every respect. 

Information as to the force employed, periods of service 
and salaries paid in making the survey, may be gathered from 
the following summaries of expenditures compiled from the 
pay rolls : 





Amounts by approximate yearly 
periods. 




To whom paid. 


From Sept. 

5, 1899, to 
Sept. 15, 1900. 


From Sept. 

16, 1900, to 

Sept. 15. 1901. 


From Sept. 
16, 1901, to 
Oct. 15, 1902. 


Total 
amounts. 


Fred Morley 


$2,170 11 

99 10 

539 57 

675 03 

681 33 

77 97 
62 88 

370 80 
235 48 

35 00 
128 14 

80 00 

43 50 

44 00 
491 68 
346 89 

90 92 
234 93 
353 45 

78 96 
69 11 

275 13 


82,100 00 


$2,512 19 


$6,782 30 


Fred C. Hannan 


99 10 


George D. McNaughton 


9 33 




548 90 


Louis E. Seas 




675 03 


Jos. A . Shannon 


695 71 


40 64 


1,417 68 


John Bonin 


77 97 


Edward L. Ferris 






62 88 


Milton W. Guy 


424 42 




795 22 


Oliver S. Kerr 




235 48 


Sylvester S. Zeluff 






35 00 


Eugene F. Slayton 






128 14 


Forest E. VanDeventer 






80 00 


Ernest D. Rankin 






43 50 


Louis A . Barkume 






44 00 


Ed. L. Wegener 


433 77 
113 12 




925 45 


Robt. A. Howard 




460 01 


Edward Bird 




90 92 


Chas. E. Curtis 






234 93 


Wm. S. Parker 






353 45 


Dennis McNeill 






78 96 


Wm. Mott 






69 11 


Jay Duncan 


191 33 




466 40 









ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 



69 



To whom paid. 



nf," 



Wm. R. Yax 

Chas. L. Todd 

Wm. Gilbey 

Radcliffe T. Rattay . . . 

John Schmutz 

Neil Shannon 

Thomas W. Spooner. . 

Ray Thorp 

Lloyd E. McLaughlin. 

Emll C. Young 

Chas. J. Lyons. .. 

Wm. H. Gowan 

Samuel Crocker 

Harry S. McDonald 

James Shannon 

Geo. Brose 

Claud D. Morrison .' . . 

Leslie Wreggit 

Chas. S. Sheldon 

Ernest D. Clark 

Chester G. Finster 

Wm. Brandstetter 

John D. Price 

A. C. Carton, use of launch. 

Frank L Louckes 

Elmer M. Ellsworth 

Peter M. Louwerse 

Fred W, Cram 

H. G. Merrick 

Carroll S. Forbes 

John H. Thayer 

Roht. H. Ellsworth 

R. A. Field 

Geo. A. Plouffe 

Louis E. Stridiron 

J. J. Barton, Jr 

Fred Schaar 

A. A. Hubbard 



Total amounts 



Amounts by approximate yearly 
periods. 



From Sept. 

5. 1899. to 
Sept. 15, 1900. 



$62 33 
38 50 
90 83 
89 17 
530 97 
121 59 
14 45 

201 72 
177 97 
199 38 
227 21 

54 73 
415 81 

202 78 
172 97 

14 01 

136 42 

119 05 

234 85 

81 20 

25 29 

124 44 

33 42 

54 75 

60 97 

28 00 

23 33 



$10,720 12 



From Sept. 

16, 1900, to 

Sept. 15, 1901. 



$773 05 
242 06 



273 67 



163 73 
356 92 



40 61 
166 72 
233 60 



20 14 

79 82 



342 35 



312 58 
409 07 
243 75 
463 42 
860 71 
688 93 
203 46 
359 71 

99 42 

1 61 

190 99 

144 42 

13 37 
4 35 

33 42 

23 94 



$10,713 50 



From Sept. 

16, 1901, to 

Oct. 15, 1902. 



^,099 57 



431 69 



38 93 



60 83 

27 75 



1,119 12 
26 83 



24 68 
23 71 



$5,405 94 



Total 
amounts. 



$62 33 

38 50 

90 83 

89 17 

2,403 59 

363 65 

14 45 

475 39 

177 97 

363 11 

1, 015 82 

54 73 

'456 42 

369 50 

406 57 

14 01 

156 56 

198 87 

234 85 

462 48 

25 29 

437 02 

503 32 

326 25 

524 39 

2, 007 83 

739 09 

203 46 

359 71 

99 42 

1 61 

190 99 

144 42 

13 37 

4 35 

33 42 

48 62 

23 71 



$26,839 56 



70 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

While it is not possible to make a strictly exact apportion- 
ment of the total pay roll expenditures among the different 
divisions of the work, since the same person sometimes per- 
formed one kind of service, and sometimes another, as occa- 
sion required, yet the following statements may be taken as 
very closely correct: 

For services of cook, cook-helper and caretaker of the 
boats for the two years and one month during 
which subsistence was furnished on the boats ..... |2,530 00 

For office work of every kind — making maps and 
tracings, computing, check books and maps, copy- 
ing claims, indexing, etc., etc 9,127 70 

This does not include |241.75 paid Richmond & 
Backus Co., Detroit, Mich., for printing title, note, 
explanation and scale on maps and tracings. 

For use of the launch for 108% days, during the time 

it was at our disposal 326 25 

This does not include the charges paid for an occa- 
sional day's use of other launches at other times, 
amounting to probably not over |50.00. 

For the field work of the survey 14,855 61 

Yours truly, 

FRED MORLEY, 
Resident Engineer. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE. 



St. Clair Flats, November 15, 1902. 

Hon. Edwin A. Wildey, Commissioner of the State Land 
Office, Lansing, Michigan: 

Sir — I beg leave to present this, my final report, as repre- 
sentative of the State Land Office on the State survey of the 
St. Clair Flats. 

I assumed the duties of this position on the 10th day of 
November, 1899, by orders of Hon. William A. French, then 
Commissioner of the State Land Office, and proceeded at once 
to the St. Clair Flats, arriving there at noon on November 11, 
1899. The work had been in progress there for about two 
months and the quarter-boats, consisting of the "Alice May" 
and the ''Michigan," lay in a cut near the "Marshland Club," 
on South Channel of the St. Clair river. I immediately com- 
menced my labors, which consisted of supplying the necessary 
tools and materials for the men to work with and the neces- 
sary food for their subsistence, together with the supervision 
of the cooks and caretakers of the boats. The cooking was then 
done in both quarter boats, the "Alice May" and the 
"Michigan." On December 25, 1899, the third quarter- 
boat and a small tug arrived from Port Huron, in charge of 
Mr. Carmichael, and this completed the number we had dur- 
ing the entire survey. In December we moved the whole out- 
fit to a cut near Joe Bedores' hotel, on South Channel, and 
commenced preparations for the winter. A sufficient supply 
of coal, to last during the winter, was ordered from Detroit 
and brought up by boat. Iron pipe was purchased, to be used 
in place of wooden stakes to mark the corners of lots, and was 
10 



72 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

delivered in the same way. A root house, or outside cellar, 
was built in the bank of a pile of dirt thrown out by the 
dredge in making a cut, and in this were stored potatoes, cab- 
bages, onions and turnips, and such other vegetables as are 
relished by a hearty man after working all day in the bracing 
air of the St. Clair Flats. During the holiday vacation, while 
the men were all away but one, we made several important 
changes in our quarters. The cooking and dining on the quar- 
ter-boat "Alice May" was discontinued, and all cooking and 
dining was done thereafter on the "Michigan," thus leaving the 
dining-room of the "Alice May" for an ofiSce and the kitchen 
for a place where water could be warmed and a bath taken by 
the men in the winter. During the winter of 1899 and 1900, all 
provisions and supplies of all kinds had to be brought across 
the country with sleds when the weather and ground would 
permit, and with small boats when the river was free from ice. 
As the distance from our winter quarters to Algonac, our base 
of supplies, was about seven miles, and as the river had to 
be crossed in order to reach the post-office or railroad station, 
you can imagine that at times it was very inconvenient and 
dangerous, especially when the ice was running down the river 
from Lake Huron in large quantities, forming great ice jams 
that would crush any small boat to splinters. The mail was 
brought from Algonac on an average of three times a week, 
and, nothwithstanding the ice jams or the inclemency of the 
weather, the mails went out and came in, tools and material 
were furnished, and no one went hungry. In the spring, when 
the Star Line boats commenced running between Detroit and 
Port Huron, the question of mails and supplies was simpli- 
fied, as our mails and goods were delivered at Joe Bedores' 
hotel, only a few rods away. In the summer of 1900 we moved 
to the Middle Channel of the St. Clair river, and cast anchor 
near the mouth of the Fisher Channel. Here the question again 
confronted us of how best to get our supplies and mails, as we 
had left the channel where the boats traveled and were again 
seven miles from Algonac. I found it would be necessary to 
have some means of locomotion other than a row boat, and I 
built and equipped a gasoline launch at my own expense. 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 73 

This boat was twenty-two feet long with a six and one-half 
foot beam, and was propelled by a three horse-power gasoline 
engine. Her name was "Evangeline," and well was she named, 
for no daughter of Acadia was ever more loyal or constant 
than the "Evangeline" of the St. Clair Flats survey. With 
this launch all the supplies were handled, measuring and 
transit scows moved from place to place, iron pipe distributed 
along the shores, and the men taken to and brought from their 
work, when the distance was too great for them to travel. The 
winter of 1900 and 1901 was spent in Scotten's cut on the Sni- 
bora Channel, we having moved there on the 5tli day of No- 
vember, 1900. Profiting by my experience of the first winter, 
I immediately set about making preparation for the winter of 
1900 and 1901. I constructed an outside cellar large enough 
to hold all the vegetables necessary for the supply of the crew 
till spring, and in this was placed a goodly supply of all kinds 
of vegetables necessary to the physical preservation of men em- 
ployed in such work. This outside cellar was built as an ordi- 
nary small house, with two by fours and sheeting boards, and 
covered all over with three feet of marsh hay and two feet of 
dirt. It had two chimneys in the roof for ventilation. In 
this root cellar was built bins for all the different kinds of 
vegetables. The cabbages were placed in one of these bins 
with a layer of marsh hay about six inches thick between the 
layers of cabbages. I found this to be a good idea, as it took 
up all the moisture, and if one vegetable started to decay, its 
neighbor felt none of the bad effects from its unkind actions. 
The storeroom in the third quarter-boat was well stocked with 
groceries, and several barrels of kerosene oil were procured for 
use in the lamps during the season, and, strange as it may 
seem at the present time, enough hard coal was procured at 
17.50 per ton to supply seven stoves during the winter. In the 
fall of 1901 we moved to Algonac in a cut belonging to A. M. 
Smith & Son, and remained there till the field work was 
completed and the quarter-boats closed. During our work on 
the St. Clair Flats we were treated very kindly by all its peo- 
ple, and never to my knowledge was there an unkind deed or 
word to mar the memory of those two years. Of the good 



74 STATE LAND OFFICE. 

people of Algonae I cannot speak too kindly, for their ever 
kind acts and words will always be among the pleasant things 
to be remembered by me. I could not close this report with- 
out mentioning one, who, outside of Prof. Davis and Prof. 
Morley, helped as much to make this survey a success as any 
one on the work. I mean our good cook, Mr. Joseph A. Shan- 
non. Always prompt and on time with all meals, courteous 
and kind to all, he was endowed with a fresh amount of native 
Irish wit that spread a ray of sunshine over all. He cooked 
the first meal and the last meal on the survey, and all who 
knew him during these two years on the Flats, and knew how 
much his loyalty and good work assisted in making this survey 
a success, will say that he deserves honorable mention. In 
the winter of 1901 and 1902 yourself and Mr. Wheeler of 
Salem, Washtenaw county, made an appraisal of all the State's 
property used in connection with the St. Clair Flats survey, 
and authorized me to sell it for not less than the appraised 
value. I sold the outfit for fifty per cent more than the 
appraisal to parties in Algonae who have since sold them to 
Canadian parties who took them across the river and the 
people who inhabit them from now on will say ''God save the 
King." Below you will find the cost to the State of the sur- 
vey which fully agrees with the books of the State Board of 
Auditors. 

Equipment |4,396 64 

Salaries 28,352 58 

Subsistence 9,427 00 

Maintenance 10,369 05 

Total $152,545 27 

The item for equipment includes the first cost of the entire 
outfit. The item for maintenance includes cost for keeping 
everything in repair and all expenses such as freight, dray- 
age, traveling expenses and all supplies not eatable. The 
item of salaries includes all moneys paid in way of salaries 
by Board of State Auditors or otherwise and includes more 



ST. CLAIR FLATS SURVEY. 75 

than amount on State survey pay roll. The item for sub- 
sistence includes all moneys paid for eatables. During the 
whole time I was on the work I received the kindest treat- 
ment and most generous consideration from Prof. J. B. Davis, 
your chief engineer. His sterling qualities, his strong ideas 
of right and wrong, coui^led with his ability and kind heart, 
have given him a position at the head of his profession and a 
place in the hearts of us who know him best. I wish to 
thank Prof. Fred Morlej^ for his kindness to me during the 
time I was engaged on this work. While he was untiring 
and constant in his labors he always found time to say a 
pleasant and encouraging word to his men. Endowed with 
a sense of honor and justice he listened to the tales of all 
and then followed the road that duty and justice pointed out. 
And now, as I am about to close this report, and I look back 
over the winters of ice and snow with their cold w^inds blow- 
ing across the Flats from Lake St. Clair, or the river filled with 
floating ice and snow over which I traveled to keep the men 
supplied with food and material, and find that after all this 
not one gray hair has made its appearance, I have come to 
the conclusion that it was the generous treatment, the ever 
disposition to forgive my shortcomings and the promptness 
and business-like support, which you and your predecessor 
have given me, which prevented it. 

Yours very respectfully, 

A. C. CARTOX, 
Special Representative of the State Land Office. 



ItTarinc CiM 



Clemetis 




